Voice of the Earth: Land of Fire and Stone 2
by Arcole
Summary: COMPLETE! In this sequel to Land of Fire and Stone, the Gaang has been invited to Omashu to help King Bumi choose a new king. Fluff, adventure, swamp spirits, bandits, Zuko/Toph, Jet/Mai. I love Jet. He's not dead. But you knew that already.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. Boy, it's fun to play with it though.

Voice of the Earth: Land of Fire and Stone 2

Chapter One

Zuko woke up with the sun as usual. Before opening his eyes, he reached out beside him until his fingers met the soft skin of Toph's shoulder. After six months of marriage, it still took him by surprise each morning that she was really there and it wasn't just a pleasant dream.

With a contented sigh, she snuggled closer into him. He opened his eyes and looked down, brushing back her dark hair so he could see her face. Each morning he couldn't help but marvel that someone so lovely and so talented had actually chosen to be with him.

He gave her a kiss on the forehead, then carefully extricated himself from her arms to begin his morning firebending forms. Months of waking up next to her had taught him one thing—his beautiful, gifted wife was not a morning person.

He headed down the flight of stairs that led down from their bedroom to the sitting room below and out into their private courtyard. He stood in the middle of the stone patio and turned his face up to the warmth of the sun. The heat and light that soaked into him kindled an answering fire inside him, a fire that ran in his blood and across his skin and out his fingertips.

Half an hour later, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up from his exertions to see Toph leaning over the balcony, one hand trailing along a stone trellis he'd had installed. It ran in an unbroken line of stone and earth from the balcony to the ground below. She was watching him.

"Pretty good, Sparky," she called down to him. "You might be losing your edge though. Do you need me to come push you around a little?"

"How about I come up there and push you around a little?" he asked with a suggestive wink.

"Come on, if you think you're man enough," she teased.

He took the stairs two at a time.

Later, over breakfast, they were discussing their plans for the day when a servant knocked on the door of their suite. He bore a rolled up hawk scroll on a black lacquer tray. Zuko picked it up with a word of thanks, interested to see that the scroll bore Aang's seal.

"It's a message from Aang," he told Toph as he slit the wax seal with a small knife from his desk.

Carefully unrolling it, he could tell that the little scroll had been through a pretty serious journey.

"He and Katara have been touring the Earth Kingdom, he says," Zuko summarized as he glanced over the columns of characters.

"How's little Bumi doing?" Toph asked, peering over his shoulder in hopes that the scroll was written in the earth-based ink Haru and Teo had invented for her. Unfortunately, the scroll was all but invisible to her there on the gan wood desk. Only the metal tips of the scroll's wooden rod were truly visible to her earthbending sight.

"It doesn't say," Zuko said absently as he continued to read. Then he looked up at her. "Listen to this," he began. "'King Bumi is abdicating his throne to take on more responsibilities in the Order of the White Lotus. His successor will be decided by a series of challenges open to all residents of Omashu and he has requested Toph's presence.'"

"Why?" Toph asked. "What does he want me there for?"

Zuko looked up from the scroll. "Aang says Bumi wouldn't say why. Just that he wants you there. He says if you're willing to come, just let him know by return hawk and he and Appa will come for you.'"

"Wow, I'd love to go to Omashu!" Toph exclaimed. "Please, Sparky, sweetie, let's go!" she put one hand on his shoulder and turned those big green eyes up to him hopefully.

"It doesn't say anything about me being invited," Zuko replied with a little sideways smile.

"Well, I won't go without you. If King Bumi wants me, he'll have to take you too," Toph answered firmly.

"Maybe King Bumi won't mind if I tag along," Zuko said, pulling out a scroll. "It would do some good to make a state visit to Omashu anyway. I need to find out how our Fire Nation representative is doing. I have to admit, I was surprised when I heard that Mai had actually requested the post."

"Mai? Your knife-throwing ex-girlfriend?" Toph nearly choked. "I had no idea Mai was the Fire Nation's representative to Omashu. Wasn't her dad the Fire Nation governor? I am surprised the residents didn't rise up in protest."

"It was actually pretty strange. Mai's dad turned out to be a very reasonable governor and most of the residents who fled the city during the war returned even before the war was over. He and King Bumi actually became good friends," Zuko explained as he began to arrange his brushes and ink to send a reply to Aang. "I heard that he even released King Bumi to join the Order of the White Lotus when he heard that my father planned to burn down the entire Earth Kingdom during the comet."

"So when did Mai go back there?" Toph asked, picking up a brush and twirling it between her fingers idly.

"A couple of years ago at least," Zuko said. "King Bumi invited her dad to stay on as representative after the war ended. So I guess Omashu was kind of her home. When her dad was asked to move to Ba Sing Se, Mai asked to take his place." Zuko's head bent over the desk as he began to write.

While he worked, Toph got up and walked around the room pretending to study the furniture, all made of gan wood whose high mineral content made it visible to her earthbending. Ever so often she'd glance back at her husband, his attention held by his calligraphy. Mai, huh? She thought to herself. She hadn't thought about Mai in years. She wondered how often Zuko thought about Mai.

So, she asked. "Whatever happened with you and Mai?"

"Nothing, really," Zuko replied as he blew softly on the freshly inked page to dry it.

"Well, as I recall, you guys were pretty tight there at Fire Lord Iroh's coronation. We all kind of figured you were an item," she continued.

Zuko turned to look at her, wearing that little grin that meant he was more amused than he was letting on. Not for the first time, she was so grateful that she'd become able to see him, really see him. She wondered how different her vision of him through earthbending was from what anyone else would see. To her he looked like living metal, moving, sparkling—like a statue made of precious minerals—only alive.

"Toph, are you jealous?" he asked with a laugh.

"No, of course not," she scoffed. But deep down she knew otherwise. "I'm just curious. What happened?"

Zuko got up and came to stand in front of her, his hands encircling her waist. "The honest truth is that once all the war drama was over, we bored each other silly," he said, looking down at her upturned face.

"But I'm not a bit boring, am I?" Toph asked softly.

Zuko bent down to kiss her, then caressed her soft cheek with his thumb. "You are a lot of things, sweetie," he teased, "but no one could ever call you boring. I am completely captivated by your beauty, your talent, and your wit. I can't even remember what Mai looks like."

"Good answer, Sparky," Toph replied pulling him close to her for another kiss. As she enjoyed the feeling of her husband's strong arms around her, she resolved that if Mai wanted to get back together with Zuko, she was welcome to try. Toph just hoped Mai would be happy being imprisoned in a tiny stone box for the next century.

A few days later and hundreds of miles away in Omashu, Aang and Katara were enjoying a lovely afternoon on the balcony of their guest suite when Zuko's hawk arrived bearing the message that he and Toph would be happy to come to visit King Bumi.

"Wonderful!" Aang exclaimed as he read it. "Now maybe Bumi will get off my back."

"What about?" Katara asked as she got up to stop their one-year-old son, little Bumi, from eating the flowers he was busily pulling from one of the many potted plants that dotted the terrace.

"Toph and Zuko have agreed to come visit. Bumi keeps asking if we've heard from them," Aang said, rising from his seat to help her move some of the smaller plants out of little Bumi's reach.

"What does he want with Toph anyway?" Katara asked. "Has he ever said?"

"No, just that he wants her there during the contest." At the word 'contest,' Katara could hear the frustration in Aang's voice. Her husband had tried repeatedly to convince Bumi that an open call contest was no way to decide who would be the ruler of Omashu when he stepped down. But King Bumi was not to be swayed.

Whenever they speculated on the kinds of events the old king would concoct, Katara always got a vivid mental image of the growing crystal threatening to engulf her and Sokka. She definitely felt sorry for anyone who chose to get involved in Bumi's scheme—and that included her and Aang. And now apparently Zuko and Toph.

A knock at the door of the suite stirred her from her thoughts. She opened it to see her tall, muscular brother Sokka, his dark hair escaping from where it was tied back with a blue leather thong, his hands full of luggage and squirming child.

"Sokka! What are you doing here?" Katara reached out to take her little nephew Toma from Sokka's slipping grasp. Almost immediately the toddler slid to the floor to stand toe to toe with Bumi. The two little boys sized each other up, then began babbling in a language only another baby would understand.

Suki then came through the door, a beautiful little girl entering just behind her. Zutara's bright blue eyes took in everything at a glance. "Hi, Aunt Katara! Where's Uncle Aang?" she asked in a sweet piping voice.

"He's on the balcony," Katara replied, but Aang had already entered the room, his gray eyes brightening at the sight of the new arrivals.

"So you did make it!" Aang cried joyfully as he stepped forward to take some of the many bags from Sokka's hands.

"Barely," Sokka groaned as he helped Suki with the bags she carried as well.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Katara asked, her accusing glare taking in both her brother and her husband.

Suki wearily sank down onto the sofa and sighed contentedly. Then she patted her belly. "I didn't know if I was going to be up to such a trip. I have never been so sick in all my life. I told Sokka not to tell you we were coming in case I just couldn't handle the travel."

"You mean?" Katara asked, excitement shining in her eyes.

"Yep, baby will make five this time," Sokka said with a proud smile. "One of them can be a warrior, one can be an earthbender, and one can be a waterbender. Then we'll have all the bases covered."

"Congratulations to you both!" Aang said as Zutara and Toma crawled all over him, vying for his attention.

"Do a trick for us, Uncle Aang," Zutara begged. "Please!"

"Give Uncle Aang a break, kids," Sokka instructed with a stern look. Katara was impressed to see that both children immediately backed down.

"That's okay, Sokka," Aang said with a grin. "Here's one Bumi likes." Without any perceivable effort at all, he created a cushion of air underneath the three children. As they rose about three feet off the floor, Bumi immediately began to jump up and down, tumbling and laughing. Soon the three of them were bouncing and giggling, leaving the grown ups some space to catch up.

"I was just telling Katara that Toph and Zuko are coming too. I was going to take Appa tomorrow and fly up to get them," Aang explained.

"I wish we'd taken you up on an Appa ride instead of going by boat," Suki sighed with a glance at her husband.

"Honeycakes, I have apologized as many ways as I know how," Sokka said wearily. "I swear to you, I'll make sure you and the kids go home on Appa."

At the looks of confusion Aang and Katara gave the pair, Sokka explained, "I wanted to take a new boat out for sea trials. This looked like the perfect opportunity to make a nice run up the coast."

"The first week was great, but the weather got rough the second week," Suki continued. "The kids went cabin crazy since they had to stay below, and between morning sickness and seasickness I thought I was going to die."

Sokka looked genuinely contrite. "I swear—Appa will take you guys home," he promised solemnly. Then he gave a quick questioning look at Aang. "Won't he? Please?"

As much as he'd have enjoyed keeping Sokka in trouble with Suki, Aang just couldn't ignore the pleading look on Sokka's face. After all, he had a little one too. "Of course he will. But not too soon. King Bumi has something planned for all of us, he says."

A knock at the door prompted Katara to leave her seat. As she went to open it, Sokka kept talking. "It'll be good to have some time to visit with everyone at least. I hope Bumi's big event will be less pompous than Zuko and Toph's wedding. The food was good, but boy, what a production."

Suki laughed. "It'll be fun seeing everyone again. I'm glad Toph and Zuko are coming."

From the doorway, a deep female voice spoke with a hint of amusement edged with irony. "So Zuko is actually coming to Omashu. It's been a while."

Everyone looked up to see a tall brunette standing there, her glossy hair pulled up in an elegant twist, leaving a few tendrils to frame her heart-shaped face. Her gray eyes swept over the group and she smiled. "Looks like the entire gang is here."

"Hello, Mai," Aang said. "You remember Sokka and Suki, don't you?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The afternoon with Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki had been very pleasant, Mai thought as she entered her apartments that evening. The children were sweet—little Bumi she knew well from Aang and Katara's many visits to Omashu, but this had been her first visit with Zutara and Toma.

Zutara. She couldn't resist another chuckle at the name Sokka had inflicted on that sweet little girl. And Toma reminded her so much of her little brother Tom-Tom when he was a baby.

A frown crossed her face as she remembered how well Sokka had taken care of her baby brother at that moment so many years ago when she was so full of resentment and rebellion that she'd put his life in danger. Fortunately, Tom-Tom couldn't remember any of that, and she'd worked extra hard after the war ended to make sure he had only good memories of his older sister. He was nearly twelve now and studying hard with his tutors so he could follow in her aristocratic family's diplomatic footsteps.

Each visit he made to Omashu, he enlisted her for one tour after another of the embassies and the major trade venues. His questions were endless and his curiosity boundless. More than once he'd announced his intention of becoming Fire Nation ambassador to the Northern Water Tribe. If he found out that she was being visited by the avatar and his powerful water-bending wife, Tom-Tom would move heaven and earth to get there. Not to mention that he'd also get the chance in a day or so to meet the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.

Zuko.

She hadn't thought of him in a while. Mai walked through the neat, almost austere apartment's living quarters to her bedroom. It too was a very simple room with few decorations. The cool green of the walls contrasted nicely with the muted red wall hangings that decorated the room. A black, green, and red enameled vase in the corner held a simple arrangement of bamboo, and the bedspread echoed the red and green theme, with its red silk background and soft embroidered florals. On a low table sat framed portraits of her parents and her little brother.

She took a seat in front of her dressing table as her maid appeared as if by magic to assist her in changing from the more formal robes she'd worn to visit the avatar into something more comfortable.

"What do you wish to wear, Milady?" Jun asked quietly.

"Just something casual," Mai responded as she began to pick out the pins that held her hair in place. "I'm not expecting anyone for dinner."

"If you don't mind my saying so, Milady," Jun began, "you really ought to have someone for dinner sometimes. This huge apartment stays so empty all the time."

"Jun," Mai laughed, "quit butting into my personal life. I like my peace and quiet after a long day of debating policy with the always interesting King Bumi and his stuffy diplomats. Trust me, after a long discussion with that crowd, this large empty apartment is all that keeps me sane."

"But you're too young to spend all your time surrounded by old crazy men," Jun persisted as she began to brush out Mai's hair with practiced fingers.

Mai looked into the mirror. Jun was at least ten years older than she, but didn't look it. And it wasn't because Jun looked young—it was because Mai looked old, she thought critically.

Her eyes were tired and drawn all the time. Little frown lines perpetually creased her forehead. As she looked in the gold rimmed mirror above her dressing table, Mai had a little revelation. Maybe she did need to find some companions her own age.

As she shrugged into the soft silk robe her maid held out for her, she made a decision. "Jun, send my secretary in to me, please. I am going to have a dinner party." Maybe that huge apartment would feel less empty with her old friends and their children around.

Within an hour, the invitations had gone out for dinner two days hence. And they were received happily because Katara and Suki appeared at her door the next morning to present their acceptances in person.

"But you know that Zuko and Toph will be arriving with Aang sometime that morning," Katara offered as they each took a seat on Mai's deep red embroidered sofa. "I hate to leave them alone on their first night in Omashu."

"Then they'll just have to join us, won't they?" Mai responded evenly as she poured tea into three delicate ivory cups.

"Are you sure about that?" Suki asked, taking the teacup Mai offered. "We don't want to make you or anyone else uncomfortable."

Mai looked at the two of them in confusion for a moment, then realized what they were thinking. "I know I didn't make the wedding, but it wasn't because I was upset that Zuko was getting married," Mai laughed. "I just had too many obligations here in Omashu. There was a huge trade banquet already set for the same date. A number of major dignitaries would be there. I couldn't just skip it."

She offered them each a light, crispy lemon cookie from a small exquisitely decorated plate. "Besides," Mai continued, "it was Toph's day. Her husband's ex-girlfriend didn't belong there, even though we broke up years ago."

Katara and Suki both looked relieved and the conversation turned to other things. After a very nice visit, the two women took their leave to see how well Aang and Sokka were doing with the children. Mai had to admit that it had been very nice having company.

But once they'd departed, her thoughts turned back again to Zuko. It had been years since she'd seen him last. Certainly, they'd parted on very friendly terms and she didn't regret breaking up with him.

It turned out that they just weren't suited to each other. She'd been drawn to him mostly because she'd always had a little crush on him from childhood. He was always kind to her when Azula was troublesome. They'd worked hard to make his life miserable in those days. When they'd all gotten back together in Ba Sing Se, she'd been drawn to him again, primarily by his broodiness and anger, emotions that so completely matched her own.

But after they'd each changed sides and the war was over, the anger and broodiness had faded and they'd realized that there was little else to hold them together. In fact, they never argued, never disagreed. They just slipped into a routine of casual dates, the occasional dinner, regular Fire Nation events, and their lives got more and more predicable.

Finally, they each knew they would have to either formalize an engagement or go their separate ways. Mai had known Zuko was far too honorable to call it off between them, so she'd done it. The smile of relief that crossed his face let her know that despite his words to the contrary, he was just as glad as she was to move on with his life. She'd rejoined her family in Omashu and made a place for herself here.

She looked around the large, empty apartment with a smile of satisfaction, if not complete happiness. Here she was respected; her opinion mattered. She could serve her country as a loyal citizen of the Fire Nation and still enjoy the company of the always interesting King Bumi and the group of advisors—crazy old men Jun called them—that surrounded him. She'd learned a great deal about politics and city government and was glad to call Omashu home.

It was a good life, if a quiet one.

A knock at her door aroused her from her reverie. The footman opened it and took delivery of a hawk scroll that had apparently just arrived. Then he crossed the room, his footsteps making no sound on the thick carpet, and with a bow, presented the scroll to her.

She opened it to see that it was a message from her brother, Tom-Tom. He had gotten wind of the goings on in Omashu and wished to visit. Unfortunately, their father was far too busy with dealings of his own in Ba Sing Se and Tom-Tom asked if there was any way she could see to his travel arrangements to Omashu.

Mai sighed. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy her little brother's company, nor was she overly concerned about having to entertain him. The major hindrance to his visit at this particular time was that with King Bumi beginning his search for the new king of Omashu, there were certain to be a large number of meetings and conferences between the king and all his advisors, including the representatives of the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe—as a matter of courtesy if nothing else. Tom-Tom would want to be in on as much of the action as possible.

Plus, travel this time of year was always difficult due to the roving bands of bandits that tended to come out of the hills. The extra traffic on the roadways due to King Bumi's festivities would make it that much more hazardous for Tom-Tom to make the journey.

Mai sighed again and pushed back her signature black bangs that hung down nearly into her eyes. Then with a resigned shrug, she took up her brush to draft a reply to Tom-Tom and a request that her major domo put together an armed caravan to make the trip to Ba Sing Se to fetch her little brother. They should make the round trip in a week or so, if the weather held good. That should bring Tom-Tom into town well before King Bumi's contests got underway. She only hoped he could put together a decent guard on such short notice.

Later that afternoon, Mai's major domo, an imposing man named Tiandu, entered a small cafe in the seedier area of the city. At the entrance of the tall man, robed resplendently in his Fire Nation garb with two armed swordsmen at his side, all conversation came to a halt. Tiandu glanced around the room sharply, then moved to a quiet corner where a lean, leather-clad young man lounged at a table, seemingly completely at his ease.

"Are you the mercenary Tong-Li spoke of?" Tiandu asked the young man.

The man's dark green eyes looked up from beneath the brown hair that fell into his face, and he gave Tiandu a look of wry amusement. He casually shoved a chair out from beneath the table with one booted foot and motioned for Tiandu to have a seat.

The major domo eyed the chair with distaste, then brushed it off and sat, his swordsmen never taking their eyes off the young man. He wore brown leather armor and a sword hung from a worn belt at his side. A light layer of road dust coated his boots and heavy brown trousers.

Without a word, the young man cocked an elegant eyebrow at Tiandu, inviting him to speak.

"Tong-Li informed me that you would be able to guard a caravan traveling from Ba Sing Se to Omashu," Tiandu began.

"When?" the young man spoke; his voice was rough, as if he didn't use it much.

"You leave today. You will escort the younger brother of Lady Mai of the Fire Nation to attend the king's coronation activities," Tiandu explained.

At the words Fire Nation, the young man straightened slightly. "Why would I want to babysit a Fire Nation brat all the way from Ba Sing Se to Omashu?" came his harsh reply.

"Because we will pay twice the usual rate for guarding a caravan, for you and your men," Tiandu explained.

The young man considered Tiandu's words, then pushed back his chair. The wooden legs scraped across the stone floor as he stood. "A job's a job, I guess," he stated. "I'm in. We'll get ourselves to Ba Sing Se. You just let them know to expect us. What's this kid's name?"

"Tom-Tom," Tiandu replied, passing a seal over to the man, who he could tell was much taller and stronger than he'd looked lounging in the chair at the table. "This is your pass to get into the Fire Nation embassy at Ba Sing Se. Don't lose it."

The man took the red and gold seal, turning it over in his slender fingers, his lips pursed in a little whistle. "Pretty impressive, this is," he commented as he slipped it into his inside vest pocket. "I'll make sure to keep up with it."

"Please do. Here is one-half the fee up front, as usual, the other payable upon delivery of Master Tom-Tom to his sister's quarters," Tiandu replied, holding out small leather bag. As the young man reached out to take it, Tiandu pulled the bag back again and looked him squarely in the eye.

"I have never worked with you before," Tiandu began sharply, "but you come highly recommended by someone whose judgment I have grown to trust. Even so, let me remind you that your reputation is not the only thing at stake here. Master Tom-Tom will be delivered safely to Omashu, or you and all your men will pay serious consequences. Do you understand my meaning?"

The young man's dark emerald eyes flashed fire for a moment and one hand reflexively went to the hilt of the sword at his hip. Across the small cafe, voices grew silent and the clatter of dishes stopped as the patrons caught onto the tension across the room. Tiandu's two swordsmen tensed in anticipation.

Then with a smile and a laugh, the young man reached out to take the bag of gold. "I understand you completely, Master Tiandu," he said with a bow and an arched eyebrow. "Tell Lady Mai she has no fears for her brother's safety. We will take good care of him."

Something in the young man's voice eased Tiandu's concerns and he favored him with a smile of his own. "I believe you will, Master --?" Tiandu's voice trailed off in question, inviting the young mercenary to supply his name.

"Jet," came the smooth reply. Tiandu watched as the mercenary sauntered out of the cafe, casually plucking a stem of hay from a passing cart to place it between his teeth.

"He better be as good as they say," one of the swordsmen spoke up quietly. "I hear the gangs of bandits have been really bad lately."

"Tong-Li said he was one of the best," Tiandu sighed as he rose to leave, dusting the front of his silk robes. "Let's hope Master Jet lives up to his reputation."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Smellerbee watched through the shop window as Jet picked a straw from a hay wagon and proceeded to chew on it vigorously. That could mean only one thing—he was happy. She was glad to see that. Jet didn't chew straws very often.

"Longshot," she called toward the back of the leather shop she ran with Longshot, her husband and longtime partner in crime, then in business. He looked up from the set of reins he was stamping with a decorative die, his expressive brown eyes meeting hers.

"Jet's back," she explained. "I think he must have gotten the job."

Longshot nodded, then put the reins away, turning instead to pull out a leather scabbard, plain, yet sturdy, suitable for a mercenary—suitable for Jet.

Smellerbee looked up again as Jet tossed the straw aside onto the ground and entered the shop, a little smile on his face. Years after her girlhood crush on him had given way to a more reasonable appreciation of him—his strengths and his shortcomings—he still had a little hold on her heart. Watching him cross the floor, she was reminded of a striped panther—grace and power, litheness and strength, all in one beautiful, yet merciless package.

Longshot came to stand at her side and she slipped one arm around his waist, enjoying the comfort and peace he brought her with his presence alone. Jet was something—he always had been—but playing with fire can burn you as fast as warm you, and Smellerbee was through being burned. Longshot's steady warmth was more than enough for her.

Jet waltzed up to the plain wooden counter, dust filtering through the air to float down the sunbeams that shone through the front window. The little shop smelled like leather and wood shavings. He found it very comforting. The wooden floors creaked a little beneath the heels of his boots.

"Hey, guys," he greeted them casually as he leaned against a large crate of bone fittings and exotic leathers from the Southern Water Tribe. "Have you had a chance to work on that scabbard of mine?"

Without a word, Longshot held out the new scabbard for Jet's approval.

"The old one was just too worn to repair, huh?" Jet surmised from the resigned look on his friend's face. Longshot hated to throw anything away—too many years of hardship in his youth, he guessed. He took the plain scabbard, noting the sturdiness of the construction.

At first glance, the scabbard was unexceptional, not worth a second look—just like Jet preferred. But under closer examination, he could see the tiny subtle details of craftsmanship that showed the work of an artist to anyone who bothered to take time to study the piece. Everything from delicate, almost invisible scrollwork stamped into the metal reinforcement to the beautiful patina of the leather itself showed that Longshot took his work seriously.

It was beautiful and the perfect companion to the sword it would carry. Jet unbuckled his swordbelt and slipped his sword from its temporary sheath, the metal shining darkly in the sunlight. He removed the sheath from the belt and replaced it with the new one, then slipped the sword into place at his hip. It fit perfectly—as he knew it would.

The dagger at his other side served as a bright companion to the sword's understated darkness. He'd liberated it from a bandit several years ago. It was beautiful--bright silver with scarlet leather wrapped around the hilt. The hilt held a brilliant gold crystal that caught the sunlight—sometimes so much he had to smear mud across it when he didn't wish to be seen. It was a dagger fit for a prince, but Jet carried it just the same.

He tightened the sword belt around his hips, then patted the hilt of his sword, taking comfort in its strength and straighforwardness. Sometimes he missed the old twin hooks of his youth for their uniqueness and their versatility, but they had been lost beneath the waters of Lake Laogai on the day he nearly died. Something else of his had been lost as well that day—his youth and an innocence he hadn't even realized he still had. At any rate, the weapons he bore now suited him in a dark, uncompromising way.

"So did you get the job?" Smellerbee asked from his side.

He looked down at her upturned freckled face. Her hands were splotched with dyes of various colors from where she'd been staining lengths of leather for different projects. Trust Smellerbee to get right to the point.

"Yes, I did," he replied. "I don't suppose either of you want to head out to Ba Sing Se on an escort trip?" He knew without asking that they would turn him down. Both of his old friends had given up that life years ago, turning their talents and energies to creative endeavors instead. Despite their youth, they'd managed to build a thriving business in the leather shop. Sometimes he envied them.

Sure enough, Longshot smiled in that easy way he had, leaving Smellerbee to answer for them both. "Sorry, too many orders. Maybe next time," she replied. All three of them knew next time would be no different. He always asked; they always turned him down. Truthfully, he didn't want them to risk their necks for him again. He was in their debt enough already.

Instead, he gave them a shrug and a smile of his own. "So I guess I'll be enlisting my favorite redneck on this trip," he continued. "We'll need a couple of treegecko saddles if you can round them up."

Longshot looked up at him in surprise and accusation. "Yes, I'm taking Bo and we're going the swamp route," Jet explained patiently. At Longshot's continued glare of disapproval, he said, "It's a simple one person escort. The swamp route is shorter by two thirds and completely free of bandits. Besides, Bo is a great guide and very capable in a fight. We'll be perfectly safe."

Longshot turned away to exchange a look at Smellerbee. After a moment of soundless communication with her husband, she then gave Jet a little nod of approval and asked, "Who's the passenger?"

"Some kid—the little brother of the Fire Nation representative," Jet explained as he pushed away from the counter and prepared to leave.

"Lady Mai's brother?" Smellerbee asked in disbelief. "A spoiled kid like that won't do too good roughing it in the swamp. Are you sure you want to go that way?"

"Sure, I'm sure," Jet replied easily, giving her one of those devastatingly charming grins he was so capable of. "It'll be good for him." He strolled to the door. "We'll be back in a couple of days." At Longshot's look of disbelief and disapproval, Jet added, "Trust me," then gave them both an easy wink.

The door swung shut behind him with a little jingle of the bell. "I hope he knows what he's doing," Smellerbee sighed.

"Don't worry about Jet. He always manages," Longshot replied in resignation, pulling her into his chest and giving her a kiss on her hair. Then he added, "Somehow."

The subject of Tom-Tom's travel to Omashu came up again over dinner at Mai's apartment. Zuko and Toph had arrived with Aang that morning, a little weary from their long overnight journey. At first both were a little nervous that their first night in Omashu would place them directly in the path of a possibly awkward reunion. However, Katara and Suki had gone out of their way to reassure both of them that Mai was looking forward to renewing old acquaintances.

Sure enough, she greeted them both with a very welcoming bow, both as her Crown Prince and Princess and as old friends. Within moments, they were all chatting amiably about recent developments in the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Iroh's health, and many more topics of general interest, including the fact that her little brother was coming to visit.

In particular, Mai went out of her way to make Toph feel comfortable, apologizing for her absence at the wedding and asking several questions about the festivities. Soon they were comparing notes on the best places to shop in the Fire Nation capital. Zuko was happy and mystified all at the same time.

He looked around the room at the gathering, noting the way Sokka and Aang kept careful eyes on their children. Mai's apartment was very simply furnished, but those simple furnishings all appeared to be very delicate and very expensive. He glanced over to where Toph sat on a low golden sofa next to Katara. She seemed so happy to be there with the group. He felt a pang of guilt that his responsibilities at home kept them from being able to travel and visit more often.

Suddenly, Sokka called out in a sharp voice to little Toma, who was proceeding to empty a porcelain bowl of nuts onto the floor. The little boy looked up at him with an expression so innocent that Zuko couldn't help but laugh.

"Laugh it up now while you can," Sokka grumbled. "I can't wait to see your reaction when little Zuko Junior sets the palace curtains on fire."

"Or decides to open all of his Uncle Iroh's favorite tea packets and mix them together," Aang suggested with a laugh of his own.

Zuko groaned at that one because it sounded uncomfortably close to one of his own childhood escapades. "I actually did that once," he admitted. "I wanted to make Uncle a new blend of his own. I never saw him so angry, yet so delighted at the same time. He truly thought I was interested in tea for a few minutes there."

"And how about the curtains?" Sokka asked with a grin as he encouraged Toma to clean up the mess of nuts from the floor.

"Actually, Azula was the curtain burner," Zuko answered. "I did manage to set my school books on fire once though."

"And I recall a certain young prince setting fire to a young lady's hair," Mai interjected from across the room.

"I was provoked," Zuko called back. "You have to admit Azula orchestrated that one too."

"She got us all into trouble at one time or another," Mai said with a sigh. Zuko looked up at her with a sudden rush of understanding and regret. He hadn't thought of his brilliant, yet disturbed sister in months. Mai's words hung between them until Zuko gave her a sad smile. She returned it in kind.

Across the room, Toph watched their interaction with interest. She'd wondered just how it would be seeing Mai again. She hadn't known her well at all during the war or after. The others had told chilling tales of her unrelenting pursuit of them with Azula and Ty-Lee and of her deadly accuracy with knives.

But once she'd defied Azula and changed sides at the prison when she saved Zuko's life, she'd dropped out of the picture until it was all over. Then she surfaced again as Zuko's girlfriend for a good while before dropping out of sight again.

Now she was back in their lives, and Toph still wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Mai knew things about Zuko that Toph was only beginning to discover. For instance, she'd had no idea about his childhood firebending experiences. Zuko didn't like to talk about his childhood. In fact, this was the first time she'd heard him mention Azula by name in a very long time—and certainly it was different to hear any happy memories of his sister—or at least as happy as Azula memories could be.

She and Zuko had talked about having children. She knew he wanted children. But as the months passed, she got the feeling that he was perfectly happy with it just being the two of them. Meanwhile, with each passing month, she grew more anxious to start their family. Did it have anything to do with his childhood? Was he afraid that their family would turn out as messed up as his own had been?

A gong sounded softly to announce that dinner was ready. As he escorted Toph to the table, Zuko casually whispered the names of all the dishes laid out before them—those he recognized at least. Mai had outdone herself in planning for this dinner. There were simple foods for the children and signature dishes from all four nations, including vegetarian dishes for Aang and one of Zuko's particular Fire Nation favorites. There were even a few sea prunes for Sokka.

"What is that?" Katara asked as she pointed toward something large in the center of the table. It was hard for Toph to tell much about dinner on the ordinary wooden table. All those gan wood furnishings Zuko had filled their home with had spoiled her. At least her plate was made of porcelain so she could see it.

"That," Mai replied with a laugh, "is Catgator Steak Swamp Style. It's a little spicy, but the meat is light in flavor—a little like chicken."

"A swamp dish?" Sokka asked in disbelief. "I hoped I'd never see another catgator again after we escaped from that place last time."

"The swamp is not that far away, you know. To get to Ba Sing Se, you have to detour around parts of it. So catgator is something of an Omashu special," Mai explained. "Ever since the war ended, the swamp's residents have taken a little more interest in the world outside. They've started trading in the city."

"I bet that's Hu's doing," Katara added, helping herself to a slice of catgator. "He and the rest of the swamp guys seemed very interested in what they'd seen of the outside world."

"I wonder if they've started wearing pants yet," Sokka asked with a wry grin.

"Probably not," Aang responded. "Pants are an illusion."

Around the table, Sokka, Katara, and Aang laughed, leaving Suki, Mai, Toph, and Zuko to look at each other in confusion.

"Let me tell you a few things about the swamp guys," Sokka began, then proceeded to regale them with a hilarious account of their adventures. Dinner passed very pleasantly, as everyone told tales and laughed together. Toph listened carefully as Zuko and Mai contributed, but neither of them revealed any new information from Zuko's past.

After dinner, she sat next to him on the sofa as they all relaxed and continued to talk, the discussion turning to Omashu and King Bumi's plans. Aang and Mai got deep into conversation about their pet theories as to what King Bumi had up his sleeve. Toph thought they were making a mountain out of a molehill.

She had also known Bumi for years and didn't know what all the fuss was about. True, Bumi was a nut—but he was also a very wise and capable king. Whatever he had planned would be totally unexpected, but totally appropriate, she believed. Twinkletoes and Miss Mai were getting their undies in a twist for nothing in her opinion.

So she turned her attention back to where Zuko and Sokka were deep in a discussion of warrior tactics and swordplay.

"Do you get to spar much these days?" Zuko asked. "I hear you stay busy on the shrimpcrab boats you run."

"True," Sokka said with a proud stretch. "The Duke and I stay pretty busy managing crews and catching shrimpcrab. We fish around the south pole during the fall and winter months. It's pretty grueling."

"So not much chance of keeping your skills up to par?" Zuko asked in a leading tone.

"Are you challenging me?" Sokka looked up at him with an unmistakable glint in his eye.

"Sure, why not?" Zuko replied. "Did you bring your sword?"

"Never travel without it," Sokka answered glibly. Across the room, Toph could hear Suki snort in disbelief. "Never mind her. She's just mad that she left her fans at home."

"I have to," Suki said firmly. "Zutara wants to play with them any time she sees them. She'll cut her finger off."

"True," Sokka agreed. "Toma is the same way with the boomerang. He's wants to learn how to throw it, but he's just not ready yet. He'll put his eye out with a bad toss."

"So when do you start teaching them?" Zuko asked seriously, and Toph noticed that he was watching the children play with an intent look in his eye. "When are they old enough to learn to fight? To kill?"

Sokka shrugged and shook his head sadly. "We learned young because of the war. Too young. I hope they won't have to," he said softly. "I want my children to grow up in a world of peace."

As if on cue, Toma toddled across the floor, his baby's wolf tail pulled back in Water Tribe blue, and reached up to Zuko. Toph watched as her husband hesitated a second as if unsure of what to do, then picked him up. Toma lay back in Zuko's arms, completely at ease. Then he reached up to trace the gold Fire Nation symbol that graced his chest.

An unreadable expression crossed her husband's face as he looked down at the little boy, leaning his cheek into Toma's soft hair. Then Toma's attention turned to the scar on Zuko's face and he ran a tiny fingertip across it.

Only Toph could sense the catch in her husband's breath, could feel the little skip in his heartbeat. Then Toma dropped his hand back to the more interesting golden threads of his tunic, and Zuko calmed again.

As the adults continued to talk, Toma settled more and more quietly against Zuko's chest, finally closing his eyes and drifting to sleep. The sight of her husband cradling the baby gently against him was almost more than Toph could bear.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The next morning, Zuko and Sokka met on the exercise grounds in the palace gardens. The layout was clearly set up for earthbending practice with plenty of large rocks for shoving around. Toph was glad because that meant she'd get to see everything. She and Suki sat off to one side in the spectator's stands, Zutara and Toma playing in the sand beside them.

The two men had stripped down to sleeveless, closefitting tunics and lightweight trousers tucked carefully into their boots. Zuko pulled out his twin scimitars, glad to have the chance to practice a little. He gave them a preparatory spin to loosen up, then looked toward Sokka. The big Water Tribesman had a single straight blade in his hand.

They sized each other up, circling, testing each other with traded blows. Their builds were similarly muscular in a lean way. Sokka perhaps had a bit more muscle mass from his many years of hard work on the fishing boats, but Zuko seemed faster. Toph and Suki leaned forward. It would be an interesting bout.

Years ago, before the fall of Ozai, they'd sparred with each other often as they worked to ready themselves for the coming battle. At first Sokka had been barely trained, unconventional in his attacks, sometimes clumsy, sometimes brilliant. But with practice, he'd learned quickly. His clumsiness gave way to artistry, and the unconventional brilliance of his swordwork began to shine. Despite Zuko's many years of intense training with the blade, Sokka sometimes got the better of him.

Now, as they crossed swords for the first time since their youth, Zuko could see that Sokka was badly out of practice. Part of Zuko's ongoing preparation to be Fire Lord one day involved daily training in the martial arts. At this point, he was probably a better swordsman than he'd ever been. Sokka, on the other hand, was going downhill fast.

Within a few minutes, Zuko had disarmed him and Sokka sat panting on the hard ground, the point of Zuko's scimitar at his chin. Toph cheered shamelessly from the stands. "Way to go, Sparky!" she yelled. Suki, on the other hand, booed Zuko and called out, "You're just getting warmed up, baby. Show him what you're made of!"

Zuko offered Sokka a hand up from the ground, which Sokka gratefully took. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Zuko asked with a grin.

"I didn't realize how long," Sokka groaned as he bent over to pick up his sword.

"I figured you and Suki sparred together every day," Zuko replied as they walked to the end of the grounds for a drink of water.

"We do. Just not with weapons," Sokka laughed. Then he looked back at Zuko in seriousness. "We've been so busy raising children and making a living that the warrior part of our lives has slipped away." He swung his sword back and forth a time or two as they walked, then resheathed it.

"I don't mind so much for me. I became a warrior out of necessity. I was always happier fishing or working on something," Sokka continued thoughtfully.

Then he glanced back to see Suki wiping at some dirt on Zutara's round pink cheek. "But that's not how it was for Suki. She was born a warrior. Trained from childhood in the Kyoshi Warrior arts. But I don't remember the last time she had a chance to really work out without one of the children needing something. And now that she's expecting, it'll be that much longer before she can get herself back into fighting form again."

The blue sky soared overhead. A stand of green broadleaf trees stood in sharp lush contrast to a red and brown stone wall behind them. The two men each took a long cool drink of water from the fountain that bubbled pleasantly at the head of the grounds, then looked back to where their lovely wives sat in the stands playing with the children and chatting with each other.

Sokka wiped his face with his hand and sighed. "I married a warrior, Zuko. But I've turned her into a housewife. She used to defend a kingdom. Now she wipes my kids' noses and makes sure I've got something hot to eat when I come in from the boat." He sat down heavily on the stone bench next to the fountain and looked back up into the spectator stands, an anxious expression on his face. Then with a sigh, Sokka looked away again and proceeded to study the ground beneath his boots.

Zuko found a spot next to him and waited for Sokka to continue. At last, his friend spoke.

"I haven't been fair to her at all. If I were half the man I ought to be, I'd make her rejoin the Kyoshi Warriors and use her gifts instead of wasting them with me," Sokka said bitterly.

Then he looked up at Zuko, his blue eyes tense with emotion. "But I can't let her go. I'm strangling her to death, I just know it. But I'd die without her."

"Have you told her how you feel?" Zuko asked even though he already knew the answer. Sokka looked down and shook his head. "You really should." Sokka over at him doubtfully. "Trust me. Tell her what you just told me."

"Now?" Sokka asked.

"Now is as good a time as any," Zuko replied as he stood up and stretched out his shoulders. "Probably the best time of all, while it's fresh on your mind."

The two men walked back to the stands. "Done already?" Suki asked with a laugh.

"Yep," Sokka replied. "Zuko's too much of a match for me."

"Hey, kids," Zuko called out to the children, "let's go see if Uncle Aang and Aunt Katara have anything to eat at their place. I'm starving."

To Toph's surprise, her husband easily lifted little Toma up to ride on his shoulders, then took Zutara's hand. The little girl looked up at him with a shy smile, then skipped alongside him as he walked toward the gates that led out of the grounds and back up to the residential area. Toph shook herself with surprise, then hurried to catch up to him. But behind her, with her earthbending sight she could see Sokka drop to one knee in front of Suki.

"What were you guys talking about?" Toph asked her husband.

Zuko just gave her a little smile and replied, "I was giving him relationship advice."

"Oh, really? What kind of advice?" Toph asked as they walked through the gate.

"The good kind," came her husband's breezy answer.

"What is it, baby?" Suki asked nervously as her husband knelt on one knee, putting him at eye level with her.

But Sokka didn't answer. He just gazed at her anxiously as if he didn't know where to begin. She reached out to place one hand on his cheek. He covered her hand with his, pressing it close to his face, and closed his eyes.

Then he sighed and asked, "How long has it been since you had a real workout with the Kyoshi Warriors?"

She laughed and answered, "Oh, before I got pregnant with Zutara, I guess. Are you worried that I've lost my edge as badly as you have?"

Sokka's eyes flew open and he looked a little shocked. "Was I that awful?" he asked.

"It's been a while," she replied gently. "You're just a little rusty, that's all. You can get it back if you want to."

"I don't have time to work that hard on something I don't use," Sokka answered matter-of-factly. "But what about you?" he asked quietly. "You are the most gifted warrior I've ever known. I don't want you to throw away your talents on me."

Suki took a little breath.

He finally understood.

After five years of marriage, her husband finally understood what she'd chosen when she'd chosen him. It was a real breakthrough moment for him. She was so proud.

"Sokka, baby," she began in a gentle tone, "I knew what I was doing when I married you. I knew that I was closing one door of my life and opening another." She reached up to smooth back the tendrils of dark hair that had escaped from their blue binding during his workout.

"But it's not fair. It's not fair to you at all," he retorted, capturing her hand in a strong grip, as if to stop her from being concerned with him. "Katara uses her waterbending all the time with Aang. And Toph stopped a volcano from erupting, for goodness sake. What do you get to do with your talents?" he asked, his voice harsh. "What about your life?"

The fountain bubbled peacefully in the background, and a light wind brushed past them. Suki let her answer flow out of the peace and love she felt inside her. She looked into Sokka's azure eyes, so like the ocean, so like their children's, and answered him.

"I get to stand beside the man I love. I get to make beautiful babies with him and see them grow and discover their own talents. I get to teach the girls in our village how to be strong and courageous too, just like I learned," Suki replied.

She looked down at Sokka's worried face, and she knew her answer hadn't satisfied him. He could be so strong and so funny. He was a loving husband and a wonderful father. He worked hard to give them everything within his power to give. He was brave and sincere.

And he was scared to death that she wasn't happy with him. That he wasn't enough for her. At that moment, she loved him more than ever.

"I use my warrior's skills every day," she continued sincerely. "Every time I nurse a sick baby through the night, every time I wait for you to come home in a terrible storm, I use that strength and courage I learned as a Kyoshi Warrior," she whispered, her voice heavy with emotion. "Just like you use your warrior's heart every time you go out fishing in the middle of a winter storm, knowing you might not come back, but willing to go to battle with it for our sakes. So we can have a home and food to eat and clothes to wear."

He still looked doubtful, so she pulled her hands free of his to place them on either side of his face and looked directly in his eyes. She wanted him to understand her at last, to know why she was with him, to know she'd always be there for him. So she put all her heart into her voice and said, "I love you, Sokka. I chose you and the life we have because I wanted it. Because I wanted you."

Then because his stance was so completely out of balance, she casually moved her hands to his shoulders and easily pushed him to the ground, moving swiftly to pin him beneath her. The look of surprise that flashed across his face at his sudden change of position was priceless. "Plus, I can still take you any day of the week," she teased as she leaned forward to kiss him.

He swiftly sat up to meet her embrace. She might have a tactical advantage over him, but in sheer strength, he had her bested. She found herself unable to resist as his strong arms went around her and pulled her even closer into the kiss. Then he just held her against him, his fingers in her hair, as he breathed deeply. He was trembling ever so slightly.

She could smell the warm masculine scent of him, could feel the warmth of his body as he held her tightly, her cheek pressed to his chest. She could hear his heart pound. "Don't let go," she whispered.

Sokka didn't say anything. He just held her closer in reply.

--

Several days later, Mai stood at the window of her apartment watching the sky. She should have received a hawk message by now to let her know that Tom-Tom was on his way. She frowned a little.

A tap at the door roused her and she turned in time to see the footman usher Aang and Zuko into the room. "King Bumi has an announcement to make," Aang began. "He's requested that we all be there." Then the bald headed young airbender smiled knowingly. "He seemed really excited about it. You know what that means."

Mai groaned then nodded with a knowing expression of her own.

Zuko looked between them, a bit at a loss. "What are you talking about?"

"King Bumi tends to make very theatrical announcements. The more excited he is, the more theatrical it will be," Mai replied as she pulled a light shawl around her shoulders and led the two men to the door.

"As excited as he is today, I'd say this will be a showstopper," Aang added, rubbing his hands together in excitement of his own. "Do you remember the shower of doves?"

Mai shuddered at the memory. "It took three hours to wash all bird poop out of my hair after that one."

Zuko laughed out loud at the image of the prim and proper Mai covered in bird droppings.

"Don't laugh, Zuko," Mai warned as they left the apartment. "You never know what he'll come up with next."

But Zuko was still laughing to himself as they walked into the courtyard before the palace steps to join Toph and the rest of the crew for Bumi's announcement.

The old king stepped out onto the terrace above them, his wild white hair poking up through his crown, his expression as effortlessly mad as always. Suki pulled a little closer to Sokka and asked, "Are you sure he's okay to make any kind of decision?"

Sokka put a comforting arm around her shoulder and coolly answered, "Sure he is. His methods are unorthodox, but on the whole, he's a reasonable kind of guy."

Then Bumi spoke, his old voice crackly but strong as it echoed through the courtyard. "I have determined that the next ruler of Omashu must be one who can listen to the voice of the earth." He then abruptly rode a pillar of earth down to the courtyard to stand before the large crowd that had gathered there.

He paced back and forth before them for a moment, fixing his eye at random on different individuals until they began to squirm nervously beneath his penetrating, yet slightly deranged gaze. The he stopped abruptly.

"Jing is the energy that fuels an earthbender's attacks," Bumi declared, then shouted, "Positive!"

With a wave of his arms he shot hundreds of rocks up into the sky where they exploded into starbursts like giant earthen fireworks.

As the dust began to fall onto the crowds, he shouted, "Negative!" and the dust suddenly disbursed away from them, leaving the air clear and clean.

Then he just stood there. After a few moments of complete silence and stillness, he stated, "Neutral," in a quiet voice. Then he took a few steps forward until he stood directly before Toph and asked, "Toph Bei Fong, what is neutral jing?"

"I am not going to play games with you, Bumi," Toph retorted. "Get on with your announcement."

Bumi's eyes grew bright and a huge smile creased his wrinkled face as he stood tall before them. "Correct! Positive jing for the attack, negative jing for the retreat, and neutral jing for doing nothing!" Bumi crowed. "Correct answer!" Then in a side note he stated, "Toph Bei Fong, you are now the ruler of Omashu," and turned to walk back up the steps.

A hush fell over the crowd at this abrupt announcement. Then Zuko suddenly stepped forward and grabbed the old king's arm to stop him. "Toph can't be the ruler of Omashu," he stated firmly. "She's the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation."

Bumi turned to face the young man, a combative glint coming to his eye. He shook free of Zuko's grasp. "Positive jing for the attack," Bumi declared coldly, shaking his shaggy white head back and forth menacingly. "Wrong answer."

Then with a wave of the old king's hand, the stone floor seemed to rise up around Zuko like a wave, surging over him, pulling him beneath the surface. The crowd gasped in terror, and Toph heard a voice—it sounded like Mai's—cry out his name.

Then the floor smoothed itself back into place with the soft grinding of massive rocks, settling heavily over the spot where Zuko had stood, leaving no sign that he'd ever been there at all.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

With the exception of Toph, everyone in the courtyard took a cautious step backward away from the clearly deranged king.

"Negative jing for the retreat," Bumi remarked in disappointed tones, and with a wave of his hand, the floor pushed the crowd back several yards away from where he stood with Toph. "Wrong answer," he concluded as they all staggered back a bit to regain their balance.

From her spot there on the stone courtyard, Toph could sense by his heartrate and breathing that Aang was entering the avatar state. She gave him a little shake of her head. That wasn't the answer. Beneath her feet, she could see Zuko in his little earthen prison, and she could tell that he was not panicking—yet.

Hang in there, Sparky, she thought to him. You know I can see you. You know I'm watching out for you.

King Bumi walked back toward Toph and looked at her with a question in his eye. "Well," he said after a moment, "what about it?"

"Bumi, you know that I'm married to Prince Zuko. I already have plans. I can't be ruler of Omashu," Toph explained patiently, all the while keeping one eye on Zuko. She would have loved to make her husband a little more room or a place to sit, but Bumi would be sure to sense any earthbending on her part.

"Prince Zuko? He's that moody boy of Iroh's with the big scar on his face, isn't he?" Bumi asked in a bored voice, rolling his eyes at her.

"Yes, he's Fire Lord Iroh's nephew and his heir. Iroh won't like it if you suffocate him, Bumi," Toph warned.

Bumi seemed to think about that a second, then gave a shrug and gestured absently with his hand. Zuko came pushing back up out of the ground, covered in dust. He staggered a little and dropped to his hands and knees to take in deep breaths of fresh air, blinking at the brightness of the sunlight.

More than anything, Toph wanted to run to his side, to be certain he was okay. But to keep Bumi working with her, she knew she had to stand her ground. However, she did let herself take a long look at Zuko, checking his heartbeat and his breathing. Once she felt confident that he really was fine, she spoke to Bumi again.

"I thank you and I'm sure Fire Lord Iroh thanks you," Toph responded lightly. "Now what's all this about neutral jing? There are 92 different types of jing, not three."

"There are 85 types, not 92, Toph," Bumi argued. "How many times do we have to go over this? You are making things overly complicated."

"No, Bumi," Toph patiently retorted as she tucked her arm in his and led him back up the steps to the palace, "you are being overly simplistic. There are 92 types."

The two headed up the palace steps and through the ornate metal doorway, their voices still echoing in discussion of the finer points of earthbending jing.

As soon as Bumi was out of sight, Aang and the rest rushed to Zuko's side. "What is she doing?" Zuko asked, still a little breathless from his ordeal. He hated tight places.

"I think she's trying to talk him down," Aang explained.

"That guy is a complete nut," was Sokka's immediate evaluation.

"I can't believe he did that to you, Zuko," Mai exclaimed, reaching out one hand to his arm, helping him stand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Zuko said with a cough. "Aang, will Toph be okay in there with him? He didn't seem right to me."

"He's a nut," Sokka reiterated.

"Plus, he's at least 125 years old," Katara added. "Maybe it's finally catching up to him."

"Technically, I'm 125 years old," Aang responded.

"Yeah, but you don't look a day over 60," came Sokka's immediate response. "He's a senile nut, then. We're going to have to go get Toph away from him."

Aang looked up at the doorway and over at the mess in the courtyard where the grounds looked like they had been pushed back like a carpet. He sighed.

"No," Zuko spoke up firmly as he dusted himself off. "Toph will let us know if she needs us. I think she's got the situation under control for now."

"So what do we do?" Sokka asked.

"Neutral jing," Aang replied in sudden realization. He and Zuko exchanged looks.

"We do nothing," Zuko concluded.

A half hour later, Toph and Bumi came back down the steps of the palace, clearly in good spirits. Toph gave the old king a hug, then ran lightly down the stairs to rejoin her friends. Bumi gave everyone a cheerful good-bye wave, then went back into the palace. Toph stood there, a big grin on her face, waving happily at the old king until he went inside.

As soon as he was gone, she immediately ran to Zuko and threw her arms around him. "Oh, Sparky," she cried, "I am so sorry!"

"I'm fine, sweetie, just fine," Zuko replied, clearly gratified by the concern in her voice.

"You know I was watching you the whole time," she said softly into his ear. "I never had you out of my sight. If I'd thought for an instant you were in danger, I'd have ripped this courtyard apart to get to you, you know that, don't you?"

"Yes, sweetie," Zuko answered gently, "I know that. Trust me, I'm fine."

"What happened in there?" Aang regretfully intruded on their moment by asking.

Toph pulled back far enough from Zuko to answer, but still kept her arms around him. "Bumi has agreed that maybe I've got other priorities than becoming ruler of Omashu. However," she continued seriously as everyone began to relax, "I did promise him that I would help him find a new ruler—one that listens to the voice of the earth."

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Katara worriedly.

"I'm not really sure," Toph replied nonchalantly, her arm still around Zuko.

"You know, Bumi said something similar to me when I was looking for an earthbending teacher," Aang began as they all walked back across the courtyard to the residential section. "He said I had to look for someone who listens to the earth before acting. Then when we went into the swamp, I saw a vision of you, Toph. And then we met. Because you're blind, you listen for the actions of your opponent with your earthbending before you do anything."

Then Aang stopped and looked over at Toph with respect. "Bumi was right. You were supposed to be my teacher for that very reason. I don't think I could have learned so much earthbending, so fast from anyone else, Sifu Toph," he stated honestly and reinforced his words with a bow.

Toph blushed a little at the compliment. "You were a very good pupil, eager to learn," she said.

"I don't know about that," Zuko responded with a laugh. "He still owes me at least a hundred hot squats."

"And I think he deliberately tried to splash me a little too often," Katara added.

Aang looked at his other teachers in surprise, then with a grin said, "Sifu Hotman, I promise I'll get to those hot squats as soon as possible."

Then he leaned in close to Katara and murmured suggestively into her ear, "And you, my dear Sifu Katara, have no idea how good you look when you're wet." And it was Katara's turn to blush.

Back at the avatar's apartments, the group gathered around to discuss their next move. After several minutes of discussion, they were no closer to reaching agreement on how to find the next ruler of Omashu. At last Mai stood up to go.

"I am sorry to rush off, but I've been waiting for a hawk message from my brother to let me know he is on his way here. I should have already gotten it," she explained. "So I'm going to get my major domo to check up on this Jet character he's hired as escort."

Several pairs of eyes looked up at her in disbelief. "Jet?" Sokka asked at last. "Are you sure he said Jet?"

"Yes, Jet," Mai answered, then sat down on the low blue sofa again, looking at the group with interest. "Do you know him?"

"We knew a Jet in the Earth Kingdom several years ago," Katara answered evasively as she played with an orchidlotus blossom from a nearby vase.

"But he was badly injured in Ba Sing Se under Lake Laogai," Toph added, aware that Zuko had tensed next to her. "We didn't think he'd make it out of there alive."

"Well, this Jet is young, about our age, according to Tiandu. He also came highly recommended," Mai offered. "It might be the same guy."

"The only problem is our Jet has a long-standing problem with the Fire Nation," Sokka said seriously, leaning forward to meet her eyes directly. "I'm not sure he'd be the best choice for the job of escorting your brother."

"But Jet may have changed," Aang commented. "He did risk his life to help us escape Long Feng." The room was quiet as they all thought it over. Then Aang added, "After all, people change. "

Zuko and Mai glanced at each other, then looked away again. Zuko then cleared his throat and addressed the group at large. "People do change. But all the same, it's probably a good idea to check up and see if this is the same Jet," he stated firmly. "Plus, we need to know what's happening with Tom-Tom, same Jet or not."

"Agreed," Sokka replied.

After a word with Tiandu, the group made their way downtown to the cafe where the major domo had made contact with the mercenary who might or might not be the Jet they knew. A few words with the bartender put them on the trail to the leather store where some of Jet's friends worked.

The door of the store jingled as they entered, signaling their presence to Smellerbee and Longshot. For a long moment, everyone just stared at each other, then Smellerbee broke and walked toward the group. She and Katara looked at each other, then fell into a hug.

"It's so good to see you!"

"How have you been?"

The words fairly tumbled out between the two young women. At last, they all slowed down enough to make introductions and re-introductions. After a few moments, Aang spoke up and asked the question they all were thinking. "What happened to Jet in Ba Sing Se?" he asked.

Smellerbee looked over at Longshot, then began to retell the story of how they'd managed somehow to get him out of the prison with all the chaos going on after Appa's escape and their fight with Long Feng. They'd gotten him to a healer as fast as they could, but it was still touch and go for a very long time. He'd nearly died. But somehow, his strength and youth as well as the skills of the healer had pulled him through.

"I told you we'd take care of him, and we did," Longshot said to Aang in a quiet voice.

"After he was better, he wanted out of Ba Sing Se, especially with it under Fire Nation control—no offense," Smellerbee added with an apologetic look at Zuko and Mai. At their nods of understanding, she continued, "So we managed to sneak out of the city, disguised as Fire Nation soldiers, and went to work as Earth Kingdom freedom fighters again."

"So you guys have been together all this time?" Aang asked happy to know that at least part of the group had managed to stay intact.

"Not exactly," Smellerbee replied with a little sidelong glance back at Longshot. She looked at him questioningly for a moment, then he gave her an almost imperceptible nod and she continued, "We got separated on the day of the comet. We didn't know what had happened to Jet until about a year later when he led a raid on the village we were staying in," Smellerbee admitted sadly.

"He was a bandit?" Aang asked. Mai shifted nervously at the thoughts that her little brother might be in the hands of a ruthless criminal.

"Not for very long," Smellerbee jumped to his defense. "He got a little mixed up there for a while. But things got better when we came to Omashu," she said with a big smile. "A group of nomad entertainers came through the village talking about a secret tunnel to Omashu and asked if Jet would lead them through. He agreed and we came too. Jet helped us get started here with the shop and we've been here ever since."

"So what is Jet up to these days?" Sokka asked.

"He's a kind of guard for hire for travelers and merchants. Right now he's out in the swamp escorting Lady Mai's brother to Omashu," Smellerbee said brightly.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"In the swamp?" Sokka repeated. "Is he crazy? That place is dangerous!"

"He has a guide," Smellerbee snapped defensively. "Bo is a good guide and a good fighter. They took treegeckos, so they can travel over land, water, or tree."

"But I still haven't gotten a message from my brother saying he's on his way," Mai said seriously. "Jet may not have made it to Ba Sing Se at all."

"He could be in trouble," Aang said seriously.

"Jet's pretty good at taking care of himself," Smellerbee replied slowly. "But I agree. He really should have been there and back by now."

"So there could be cause for worry," Zuko surmised. "And if Tom-Tom is with him, he could be in trouble as well."

"Looks like we're off on a rescue mission," said Sokka. "Who's in?"

"I am," Mai said firmly. "If my brother has been carried off somewhere in the swamps by an ex-bandit with a grudge against the Fire Nation, I want to be in on the hunt."

"Lady Mai," Smellerbee stressed her title just a bit too heavily, "Jet does not bear any ill will against you or your brother. He's just doing his job. He'll take good care of your brother no matter what."

"Well, I'm in too," Toph said. "I need to make myself a little scarce around Omashu anyway in case Bumi wants to try again to make me queen. And I'd rather you came along too, Sparky," she continued with a look at Zuko. Then she grinned mischievously and added, "Unless, of course, you'd like to spend more time in a hole in the ground as Bumi's hostage against me."

"No, I'll pass on that," Zuko replied with a shudder. "I'm in."

"Well, someone's got to stay here with the kids," Suki began.

"Suki, if you want to go hunting, I'll stay with the kids," Sokka offered magnanimously.

"Well, we don't want to overload Appa," Aang said, looking around at the group. "If Mai, Toph, and Zuko go, I can take one more and still feel good about bringing Jet and Tom-Tom back with us."

"In that case," Suki began, "it had better be Katara. There's plenty of water for bending in that swamp. Besides, I shouldn't take risks in my delicate condition, and Bumi has stayed with us often enough that he'll be fine with you two going."

Sokka looked at her with a mixture of pride and gratitude. He hadn't been looking forward to babysitting the three kids on his own.

Within moments, Aang had conferred with Smellerbee and Longshot long enough to have an idea of the direction Jet would have gone in the swamp.

"It won't be easy to cover it by air, though," Aang said thoughtfully. "The vegetation is so thick it'll be hard to see anything below the canopy. We'll have to stop and look for signs of travel on the ground as well."

The group made their way toward the door, but Zuko was stopped by a hand on his arm. To his surprise, Longshot pulled him away from the others.

"I remember you, Prince Zuko," he began. "Or should I say Li? I'm sure Jet remembers you too. He might remember that you were the one who got him thrown into Long Feng's prison in the first place." His words were accusatory, but Longshot's voice was soft and calm. Zuko realized he wasn't being threatened, he was being warned.

Even so, the warning burned at him and an angry retort sprang to his lips. "As I recall, Jet got himself thrown into prison when he wouldn't let well enough alone. I never wanted--"

Then Zuko broke himself off as he considered his own life in Ba Sing Se. He took a deep breath and began again in a quieter voice, "I'm not proud of the person I was in Ba Sing Se. I made choices there that I deeply regret. I hurt the people I loved the most. But I'm not the same man I was then, Longshot."

"Jet's not the same man, either, sir," Longshot assured him with a quiet earnestness. "Just give him a little time to see that if he needs it."

Zuko then realized what drove Longshot. He was afraid Jet would attack and Zuko would kill him. "Please, call me Zuko," he said quietly. "I'll do my best to see that Jet doesn't get hurt." And to himself Zuko added that he hoped Toph, Aang, and Katara did their best to see that he didn't get hurt while he was trying not to hurt Jet.

By evening, the group found themselves aboard Appa, peering down at the misty green vegetation of the swamp below. Katara rode up next to Aang on Appa's head, leaving Toph, Zuko, and Mai in the main saddle.

"I think Katara is worried about leaving Bumi," Mai said after a while. "I get the feeling they don't spend much time apart."

"No, Aang works really hard to be sure the whole family is together as much as possible, no matter what his job is at the moment," Zuko replied.

"That's good," Mai commented quietly. "It's important for kids to be with their parents."

Then they rode in silence for several more minutes. Toph snuggled closer to Zuko in the cool air. She put up with flying when necessary, but in the air very little was visible to her. Only Zuko really stood out to her earthbending sight. She could make out the general forms of Mai, Aang, Katara, and Appa, but not in any really great detail up there away from her bendable earth.

Mai sat at a little distance from them, peering over the edge of the saddle into the darkness. Toph had just made up her mind to ask her to move closer for warmth—she could share Zuko that much she decided—when Aang announced that they were landing for the night.

They touched ground to Toph's delight. At last, she'd be able to see again. But as she slipped off Appa's back into Zuko's waiting arms, she was sorely disappointed.

"What is this?" she asked angrily when her feet touched down.

"What is what?" Zuko replied in confusion.

"What is this we're standing on?" Toph gave the ground a little stamp with her foot in frustration.

"It's some kind of vegetation, I guess," Zuko answered. "It's green."

"I can't see it, Zuko," she complained. "I can't see anything. There's no earth anywhere around here—just mushy growing stuff and water."

She could hear as Aang and Katara spoke to each other some distance away and Appa whuffed as he sank to the ground to rest. Toph stretched out with her senses as much possible to try to find some earth, somewhere beneath her.

She might as well have been in a boat on a lake trying to find the muddy bottom for bending. It was down there, but so far away and so full of water that it would take all her concentration and effort to bring even a small part up to the surface.

She hated the swamp.

They managed to make a small fire out of whatever wasn't too wet to burn and had a bite to eat before settling in for the night in a close group next to Appa. Unfortunately, just as Toph curled up in the bedroll close to Zuko, she felt the urge hit.

Great. A bathroom break in the middle of the swampy jungle. Who knew what kind of critters were waiting in the unbendable wetness to pounce on her?

But Zuko was so warm and it felt so good to snuggle against him that she decided she could wait until morning when one of the girls could go with her. So she fell asleep.

However, an hour later, she woke again, the pressure in her bladder too strong to resist any longer. "Zuko," she whispered.

He murmured sleepily in response.

"I have to go to the bathroom," she said.

Suddenly Aang was next to her. "It's my watch first," he said quietly. "Katara said there was a good place about ten feet away behind some bushes. I'll keep an eye out for anything prowling."

She regretfully slipped free of Zuko's warm embrace and slipped into her shoes, then warily made her way through the cool moist night air across the springy, soft ground/not ground.

To her delight, as she pushed through what seemed to be large bushes, she realized there were vines there that she could see. They stretched out before her like loose metal wires running through the jungle, and she decided they must have the same kind of mineral content that the gan trees had back on the Fire Nation islands. The high concentration of minerals showed up to her bending sight as faint traces of earth, maybe not enough to bend, but enough to see.

With relief, she also noticed that one vine ran back close to where Zuko lay in his bedroll. She could find her way back to the fire by following the vine.

Having something to follow made her a little braver and she pushed into the bushes along the vines just a few steps further to be sure she was out of sight. Once she had gratefully relieved herself, she turned back to follow the vine to the fire.

But something had changed. Before, there was only one vine that led that way. Now it seemed as though at least fifty vines led off ahead of her in different directions. She frowned in confusion, then picked out what she thought was the right one and began to follow it. As she walked back, the bushes felt like the same ones she'd passed through, but no matter how hard she peered out ahead of her, she couldn't see Zuko's sleeping form.

So she backtracked along the vine to follow the next most likely candidate. But to no avail. At last, she knew she was in danger of getting lost. It was almost as if the vines were changing on her each time, luring her away from the camp. Away from Zuko.

"Aang!" she called, but not so loudly she'd wake the others. Silence. "Aang!" she tried again. Still no answer. She listened closely to hear if he was calling her, but heard nothing but the quiet buzz of some kind of insect in the trees above her.

"Aang!!" This time she yelled at the top of her lungs, but her voice didn't seem to carry in the moist, heavy air.

Now Toph was beginning to panic. "Zuko!" she cried. But there was no answer. She knew she couldn't be more than fifty feet from camp. Why couldn't they hear her?

The vines led off in all directions, each one tempting her to run alongside until it took her back to Zuko, back to safety. But she knew the absolute worst thing she could do would be to move from that spot. The only chance they had of finding her was for them to search and for her to sit still.

Then up ahead of her, she caught a glimpse of him. Zuko was out there looking for her. "Zuko!" she called in relief and ran ahead toward him, her heart pounding with gladness.

However, as soon as she reached the spot, she realized it wasn't Zuko at all, just another tangle of vines.

"Zuko!" she screamed in desperation. Why couldn't he hear her? Where was he?

Beneath her feet, the ground sucked and pulled at her, almost as if it didn't want to let her go. She knelt down on all fours and reached for the earth deep beneath the layers of water and vegetation, but it only made a muddy lurch far beneath the spongy surface.

"Toph!" She thought she heard a voice in the distance.

It was Zuko. It had to be. Desperately, Toph jumped up to run toward his voice, calling to him.

Suddenly, the wet ground seemed to lurch beneath her feet, and she fell. She struggled to stand again, but beneath her, the ground continued to tilt and roll, sending her in a helpless slide down a slippery surface.

She scrambled desperately for a hand hold, but her fingers only tore up little patches of slimy moss. She could feel a slick wetness soaking through the fabric of her clothes as she slid faster and faster down the slope. Without warning, she found herself falling several feet into a pool of cold water that immediately closed over her head.

She hated the water even though Zuko had very patiently tried to teach her to swim. Now, the sudden shock of falling into the pool pushed her across the edge from nervousness into complete panic.

She fought for the surface, gasping for air, sobbing in terror. Then she saw her lifeline. There in her sight lay one of the vines, just in reach. She grabbed for it and pulled herself to the bank and out of the chilly water.

"Zuko!" she tried again, but terror had robbed her voice of the little strength she had left. She knew he couldn't have heard her. Exhausted, she collapsed on the softness of the vegetation and looked for the vine that had saved her. It was nowhere to be seen. There were no vines anywhere around.

As she lay there, Toph realized she was utterly lost, utterly alone, utterly blind, and utterly helpless. For a moment, she gave in to fear, put her head down and sobbed like a lost child.

Then she got angry. She lifted her tearstained eyes to face whatever lurked in the soft, wet nothingness that stretched before her.

"Whatever you are out there," she called with a last burst of bravado, "you've got me where you want me. Now, either tell me what you want me to know and let me go or just come kill me right here. But I swear on the earth itself that I am not leaving this spot. No more tricks, no more running!"

Silence.

Just the drip of water falling from leaves and the sound of strange insects and animals. A musty smell of rotting leaves filled the dank air.

Toph refused to be terrified, refused to give in to another bout of panic. Instead, she calmly lay down shivering in her wet clothes in the cool night air and tried to sleep.

To her surprise, she actually succeeded.

However, back at the camp, she hadn't been gone from her bedroll a minute before Zuko woke, looking for her. Aang sat next to the fire, poking at it with a long stick. Katara and Mai slept nearby, next to Appa. "Where's Toph?" he asked quietly, so as not to disturb the others.

"She just stepped behind a bush for a second," Aang replied, pointing in the direction she'd gone. "She hasn't been gone long."

"Toph!" Zuko called quietly. "Are you okay?"

There was no answer. He got up and followed the soft indentations of her tracks in the green surface behind some bushes, but there was no sign of her. "Toph!" he called louder.

There was no answer. "She'd not here, Aang," he called back over his shoulder toward the fire. "I'm going to look for her."

"Zuko, wait!" Aang's voice came as if from a distance. "Come back! The swamp has a way of playing tricks on you. It'll lead you away from camp."

"She can't have gone far," Zuko replied reasonably. "But she can't see anything out here, I have to find her."

"Wait," Aang's voice sounded very different and Zuko looked back to see the tell-tale blue glow of the avatar state in his eyes and on his tattoos. "Let me see if I can find her the way I found Appa." He knelt down, pressing his hands against the moist grass. "She's about a hundred yards ahead," he said at last.

"I'm going after her," Zuko said and took a few steps in that direction. "You stay here with the girls and Appa."

"Wait, Zuko! Take your swords!" Aang called to him again, but his voice sounded as though it came from much farther away.

Zuko turned back toward the campfire to retrieve his twin scimitars, but to his astonishment, there was no campfire. No Aang. Nothing. Just green darkness.

Zuko knew something strange was going on, something unexplainable. But that didn't stop him from needing to find Toph. "Toph! Where are you?" he called at the top of his voice.

Back at camp, Katara woke to see Aang crouching on the ground in the avatar state, his face a mask of confusion. "What's going on?" she asked sleepily.

"I'm not sure," Aang replied. "Toph was just here and Zuko too, but now I can't find them anywhere. It's like they just vanished."

After a few more minutes of concentration, Aang looked up at her and the avatar state slipped away from him. "I'm not completely sure this is the right thing to do," he began tentatively, "but something about the swamp gives me a strong feeling we're supposed to do nothing. Neutral jing."

"We're just supposed to let them wander off?" Katara asked incredulously. "You know how mixed up this place makes a person. And Toph can't even see anything out there."

"I know," Aang sighed and came back to have a seat next to her, his head hanging down in dejection. Then he looked up. "We'll give them until morning. Then if they're not back, I don't care what the swamp says, we're going looking for them."

Out in the misty darkness, Zuko walked. Minutes turned to hours as the night wore on. He must have walked miles, desperately calling her name. But by the time the first hints of sunrise began to color the sky, he'd come to one sure conclusion. Calling to her wasn't working.

So as the dawn broke and the sun rose overhead, he sought out an opening in the dense canopy where a little patch of sunlight could break through. He stood there in the circle of light and turned his face up into his element, letting the sun's rays fill him with its heat and power.

Then he spoke directly to the swamp itself.

"Whatever you are," he called in a strong determined voice, "I know you have Toph. I don't know what it is you want with her or why, but you need to know that I want her too."

There was no answer, just the steady drip of water on leaves and the morning song of distant birds. "Tell me where she is!" he demanded, fury and frustration making his voice harsh.

Again, there was no reply from the dense, damp greenery that surrounded him. "Toph can't bend in here, but I can," Zuko shouted in a loud voice, flames fueled by worry and anger bursting into life above his outstretched palm.

That got a reaction, he thought wryly, as vines began to descend out of the trees and stretch threateningly toward him. Zuko gave them a grim smile, then allowed the inferno to roll off his body until the leaves of the trees overhead began to brown and crackle. When the vines backed away, he allowed the heat to die back as well.

"Maybe you can kill me before I burn down a substantial section of your jungle here, maybe not," he called out into the mysterious depths. "Let's not find out. Just lead me to Toph and I'll leave you alone. Then if you have some business with her, we'll be glad to discuss it with you."

Up ahead, the bushes parted, opening a clear pathway before him. "Thank you," he said politely, but kept the palm full of fire at the ready. He didn't trust this swamp. Not one bit.


	7. Chapter 7

(_AN: Sorry it has taken so long to update. It has been a busy weekend and week. I try to stay at least two chapters ahead, but I'm going to go ahead and post this with only one chapter in reserve. As always, R&R. Thanks for reading—I mean that from the bottom of my heart!!)_

Chapter Seven

Aang, Katara, and Mai broke camp that morning in near silence. "Where are they?" Katara wondered aloud for the fourth time, then went to stand closer to Aang.

"I wish I knew," Aang replied with a sigh and a comforting embrace. "I think we need to go to the center of the swamp and see if Hu can help us find them. As a matter of fact, that's probably where the swamp is leading them. That's where it led us."

"Just what is this place anyway?" Mai asked as she rolled up her bedroll, never taking her eyes off the swampy forest that surrounded them.

"According to Hu, it's one gigantic plant," Katara said. "He seemed to have a kind of relationship with it."

"I've met Hu a time or two at official gatherings in the city," Mai responded, sitting back on her heels. "The man claims that pants are an illusion and wears a leaf on his head everywhere he goes. I feel sure that the relationship is one sided. He's insane," was Mai's matter-of-fact conclusion.

Aang and Katara laughed and shook their heads. "Don't underestimate Hu, Mai," Aang replied evenly as he climbed up into Appa's saddle. "He may seem a little odd, but Hu really does understand far more than we do about the way the living things of the world are connected. The swamp is a living, thinking entity, and we'll do very well to respect it."

Katara passed a bedroll up into Aang's outstretched hand, then shook her head. "I hope Zuko manages to find Toph soon. I don't think he'll be able to respect the swamp for very long if he doesn't," she commented.

"Do you think Hu would be able to help us find Jet and my brother?" Mai asked as she handed Aang her bedroll, then climbed up into the saddle, followed by Katara.

"Maybe," Aang replied. "There's only one way to find out." He climbed out onto Appa's head, gave him a loving scratch behind the ear, then called, "Yip yip!"

With seemingly no effort at all, Appa carried them up above the treetops and they headed toward the giant center of the swamp, barely visible on the far distant horizon.

Below them, completely hidden by a dense layer of green leaves, Zuko trudged through a waist deep mire of slime and water. Ever so often, he felt something large bump against his legs as he walked. He could only hope that whatever kept swimming past him wasn't hungry.

Giant foot-long swampsquitos hovered at a distance, kept back by the long tree branch he'd broken off to use as a walking stick and weapon. He'd had a nervous moment as the vines reacted badly to his breaking of the branch, but they'd kept their distance and continued to open the way ahead of him. However, the longer he walked, the more suspicious he grew that they were deliberately sending him down the most exhausting, inconvenient path possible.

Beneath the surface of the water, something actually tried to take a bite out of his leg. Enough was enough. "Okay, you guys," he called in frustration. "Either find a better, faster way to Toph, or I'll break off more than a tree branch." The vines wavered as if considering his words.

The nibbling creature tried again, this time possibly breaking the skin with what felt like a hundred tiny, sharp teeth. Zuko grimaced in pain and called up a nice show of firebending around him to convince the swamp that he meant business.

The vines swiftly parted the bushes on the bank to his left, and he struggled out of the water. Sure enough, his right trouser leg was stained with blood and bore a ragged torn place just above his knee. Fortunately, the wound, though painful, didn't look too bad, and the bleeding was quickly brought under control with a little pressure.

He pushed himself back to his feet and continued walking down a much more level, much drier path than any he'd seen thus far. The sun peeked through little openings at odd intervals, and his clothes slowly began to dry. The droning of insects and the strange calls of unfamiliar birds filled the air. Soon the stagnant smell of the mire gave way to the fresher scent of aromatic bark and flowers.

But the going was still difficult at times, and by mid-morning, he was bone-weary, sore, and thirsty. He'd walked all night and all morning up and down hills, through deep bogs and swift streams. His leg was beginning to ache in earnest, and he wondered if whatever bit him had been venomous.

More than anything, however, he was worried about Toph. Where was she? Was she okay? The swamp seemed to have an interest in her, but that didn't mean she was safe. All through the night, he'd heard the sounds of animals large and small in the woods around him. A flight of wolfbats had actually passed within yards of him. He marveled that they hadn't smelled him out.

Now, the giant swampsquitos wove in and out of the dense forest. Not only would their bite be painful, a swampsquito bite contained enough poison to knock a person out for a while, leaving them swollen and itchy all over for days afterward. He had to find Toph soon. It was entirely too dangerous for her to be out there on her own, unable to protect herself.

He limped forward, pushing himself through the haze of pain and weariness that began to overtake him. All he wanted to do was lie down and rest a bit, but he knew that he couldn't give in to the need. He had to keep going until he found her; otherwise, the swamp would just carry her further away from him while he slept.

Ever so often, the sun would peek through the trees overhead, and he clung to his element like a lifeline in the dense green depths of the undergrowth. He let it fill him, energize him, not realizing that he was actually burning the imprint of his palm and fingers into the staff he carried.

"Toph!" he called for the thousandth time. And when an answer finally came, he was so surprised he almost missed it.

"Zuko?" The voice was soft and breathy, but close.

"Toph, where are you?" he called again, desperately pushing aside the greenery that grew so thickly all around him.

Then he saw her. She lay curled up on her side in a little clearing--a smear of dried green slime ran down her side and crusted under her fingernails. Her hair lay in damp tangles around her face. He ran to her and pushed her hair back, calling her name.

His relief at having found her was replaced immediately by fear. She was burning up with fever. What was worse, no matter how he called her and talked to her, he couldn't rouse her. She hadn't said another word to him and seemed to be unconscious.

A little stream, clearer than most, ran by the clearing where she lay. Never taking his eyes off her, he ran down to the edge and scooped up some water in his hand. Gently, he bathed her face, hoping to cool the fever and perhaps wake her a little.

Her skin was pale and dry, dark circles beginning to appear under her eyes. No matter how he called her, rubbing her hands in his, stroking her forehead, she didn't stir. All he had to comfort him was the regular rise and fall of her chest as she breathed softly.

Where was Aang? he wondered desperately. Where was Katara with her healing waters? Then he thought to himself that there had to be someone else in the swamp—they'd talked about people who lived here. Maybe they could help her.

His heart pounded with a sick anxiety as he picked her up in his arms. Fear shook him as he realized he could feel the heat of her body through his clothing as the fever climbed. Her head rolled back lifelessly.

He cried out raggedly into the still, damp air, "She's sick! She needs help!" He had to take a deep breath to steady himself before he continued, "I know you didn't bring her out here to kill her!"

The vines that had led him to her just hung in the trees, wavering ever so slightly as if considering his words. "Show me where to take her!" he called again. Then he looked down into her still pale face, her dark hair framing its fragile loveliness, and he was afraid.

He'd seen that look before, that stillness that came at the end of a long sickness, the stillness that preceded death. For a moment, he trembled so badly he was afraid he would drop her, so he sank to his knees, cradling her close to him.

The wind made a soft shushing sound as it passed through the treetops, the leaves brushing against each other. A small animal leaped from branch to branch overhead, going on its merry way, unconcerned by Zuko's fears. All around him life went on, but in his arms Toph's life was beginning to slip away.

The realization that he could lose her ran through him like lightning. He rocked her gently there in his arms, past thought, past reasoning, unaware of the tears that had begun to course down his cheeks. "Hang in there, sweetie," he whispered to her repeatedly. "I'm going to get you out of here, I promise."

Zuko gathered all his will and his strength and rose to his feet again. "Show me where to go!" he demanded again, his voice breaking with emotion. Then through his tears, he added more quietly, "Please. I can't lose her. Please show me where to go."

Ahead of him, the vines wavered again, then pulled aside the heavy branches, making a path. With determination, Zuko pushed ahead into the unknown, weariness and pain cast aside as inconveniences. Toph was all that mattered.

Meanwhile, Jet leaned back on a hollow log in the middle of Bo's village, utterly bored and completely frustrated by his predicament. A day into their trip, Bo had managed to throw out his back trying to wrestle a catgator for dinner—even though Jet had told him repeatedly that they had plenty of rations.

"But catgator is such good eatin'!" Bo had exclaimed, jumping off the treegecko right into the middle of the soupy pond below them. Only a few minutes into the battle, Bo had yelped in agony and the catgator had swum away with a cocky flip of its fat, scaly tail.

By the time Jet had ridden to his side, somehow Bo had managed to get himself out of the water, both hands clenching his lower back in misery. They'd eased him onto his treegecko, but he was in no shape to ride any further than his home village. Now, they'd spent days with Bo flat of his back on a straw mat in his hut, the village healer coming by regularly to offer new remedies, none of which seemed to help.

Jet tried to get someone, anyone to guide him out of the swamp again, either to Omashu or Ba Sing Se, but so far had gotten no takers. In fact, the rest of the swamp's denizens looked at him like some kind of alien in their midst with his trousers and boots, not to mention his long, black sword. The children in particular treated him with suspicion, keeping their distance as if afraid he might be a monster.

But if the days were long and boring, the nights had grown nearly unbearable.

He'd stayed the night in the swamp before, but never more than one at a time. He didn't mind taking the swamp route, but he never stayed in there a second longer than he had to.

But now after spending the past week in the primeval darkness of swamp nights, he wasn't sure he'd ever come back that way again.

In the darkness, the swamp came to life in a new way entirely. Each evening as darkness fell, the eerie, glowing eyes of unknown creatures surrounded the village, and strange noises began to echo through the treetops overhead. Once he'd woken up to find a large centimander easing its clammy, many-footed way across the back of his neck.

But worse than the mysterious animals by far were the dreams.

As he slept each evening, his dreams were populated by an endless line of people he'd known—friends, enemies, the family he'd lost, victims he'd terrorized, Fire Nation soldiers he'd killed in battle—and one person he hadn't even met yet. He shivered a little at the memories.

Most of the dreams involved him trying to catch up to someone he loved or running in terror from someone he feared. Then there was the dream of the young woman he'd never met.

She was tall and willow slender with hair as black as ebony. Her large gray eyes looked at him straightforwardly from a face that was a bit too sharp to be beautiful, but was striking just the same. He read challenge in her eyes and longed to talk to her—to see just what it was she wanted from him. But whenever he tried to speak, she vanished into the mists of the forest.

He sighed. The sun was still high overhead. The women had begun to chop up dried catgator and swamp fruits for the mid-day meal. Jet had just decided to get himself a cup of water with a little limeberry in it, when he heard a rustle across the clearing. He sprang to his feet, his hand going reflexively to the hilt of his dark sword.

A dark haired young man staggered into the compound, carrying the limp body of a young woman. He took a few steps toward the huts, then sank wearily to his knees.

Jet reached his side in an instant and could tell the young man was not well. His eyes were glassy and his face was flushed. The young woman was even worse off, her still pale face almost a deathmask, despite the high fever that rolled off her skin.

"Help her, please," the young man said hoarsely. Jet nodded and reached forward to take the young woman from his arms.

However, the young man would not let go. Jet could see that he was not strong enough to take another step and he looked the young man directly in the eyes to reason with him. As soon as he saw the scar, he recognized him.

Maybe if he hadn't been seeing the faces of the past in his dreams every night, he would have been angrier, but as it was, he was just curious as to why Li suddenly decided to turn up in the middle of the swamp.

"Li, it's Jet. Remember me?" Jet began calmly. "Let me take her to the healer, okay? Let me help you."

Maybe something got through to the young man because he relaxed his hold and allowed Jet to take the young woman into his arms. Jet stood easily and said, "The healer's hut is just over there. You look like you could use some checking over yourself."

Li nodded and pulled himself up to stand as Jet turned toward the healer's little straw and mud dwelling. Then he heard a sound behind him and looked back to see that Li had collapsed to the ground in a dead faint.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

When Zuko awoke some time later, he could tell from the angle of the sun in the doorway that it was late afternoon. His mouth felt hot, gritty, and dry, and his leg felt as though it was on fire from the hip down.

Toph. Where was she? His heart leaped into his chest as he sat up and looked around the room for her, calling her name.

A pair of strong hands pressed his shoulders back into place on the low cot.

"Hey, Li," a dark-haired young man said easily, "calm down. She's okay. She's right here."

Zuko looked past the man to see Toph on a cot no more than four feet away. An older woman sat on the other side of her, painting her arms with a mixture that looked like split pea soup. At his quizzical look, the woman explained, "It'll draw out the heat. Don't look too pretty though."

He tried to move, but searing pain shot down his leg. He pushed back a light, loosely woven beige coverlet to see that his trouser had been split from the knee to mid-thigh and his leg was shiny red and swollen to nearly twice its size. A wet, green, leafy mass was loosely tied to the place where he'd been bitten. He guessed the creature had been venomous.

"How is she?" he asked hoarsely. "What's wrong with her?"

The older woman finished her painting and washed her hands in a shallow bowl. Then she poured a cup of water from a gourd jug and brought it to him. "She's got the swamp fever," the woman explained as she held the cup to Zuko's lips. He thought he'd never tasted anything so good as that cool water.

"She's pretty sick though," the woman continued. "I ain't seen many get this low and come out of it the same as they went in."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zuko asked sharply. "Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll live," the woman replied. "They all live. But those that get the fever this bad turn funny. They just don't act right no more when they come out. It's like the fever does something to 'em."

Zuko wanted to ask more, but the rush of anxiety for Toph had made him lightheaded. Black spots began to swim before his eyes.

"You're the one to worry about right now, Mister Li," the woman said, bending down to check the wet pad of leaves on his leg. "If we don't draw off this poison, you could lose your leg. Them cottonmouth gar got a real nasty bite if you don't tend to 'em fast."

Then the woman turned to the young man next to Zuko's cot. "Jet, I'm going to gather more herbs for Li's poultice. You keep an eye on them for me. He's not to move." The she gave a little sad glance at the other cot where Toph lay. "She ain't going nowhere for a while."

The woman left the hut, leaving Zuko to look up at Jet. He'd grown up. He was no longer the brash young man who helped him rob a ferry captain. Then again, Zuko was not a refugee named Li any more either. He decided to come clean.

"I remember you, Jet," Zuko began. "And I want to say I'm sorry."

"About what?" Jet asked.

"I got you thrown into prison in Ba Sing Se. You nearly died there. If it wasn't for me and my uncle, it would never have happened," Zuko answered, then coughed a little. His throat was still a little dry.

Jet refilled the water cup and held it to his lips again. "Don't worry about it. Everything happens for a reason. Even the bad stuff," he replied evenly. Then he flashed Zuko a cocky grin. "Besides, I'd done enough wrong by that point to earn several trips to prison. My time was just up, I guess."

"I also ought to tell you my name isn't really Li," Zuko said, swallowing the last of the water. His voice was smoother, stronger now. "It's Zuko. My uncle is Fire Lord Iroh. I'm his heir."

Jet sat back, his eyes a little wider. Then he stood up, took Zuko's cup from his hand, and walked back to place it next to the water jug. "So Li the refugee was really Prince Zuko," he said in disbelief. Then he shook his head. "I guess I ought to be relieved. I was right. You two really were firebenders."

Zuko nodded, then waited to see what Jet would do next. He walked to the doorway and looked out across the green compound and into the distance, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword in what Zuko recognized as the customary pose of a warrior.

After a moment, Jet looked back at him, a little wry grin on his face. "Isn't this an interesting turn of events?" he asked. "After all these years, after all this time, to bring us both here." Then Zuko watched as Jet strode across the room to where Toph lay quietly.

He determined that if the young mercenary made so much as the hint of a threatening move in her direction, he'd incinerate him on the spot. Little tips of flame danced at the ends of his fingers in readiness.

But Jet just looked at her, his eyes searching her face. "And who is this?" he asked Zuko with a little laugh. "Your Fire Nation girlfriend?"

"No," Zuko replied slowly. He wanted to be certain Jet understood him. "That's my wife. Maybe you remember her—Toph Bei Fong. She traveled with Avatar Aang back in Ba Sing Se."

Jet burst into laughter, then looked down at her again. "That's Toph? The mean little earthbender? She used to scare the hell out of me," he stated in disbelief. "She certainly grew up, though, didn't she?"

If the tone in Jet's voice had been anything less than respectful, Zuko would have let him have it. But as it was, he simply replied, "Sometimes she scares me, too."

"So what are you guys doing here?" Jet asked curiously, taking a seat next to Zuko again.

"Looking for you, actually," Zuko began. When he informed Jet that Aang was somewhere about with Appa, Katara, and Mai, Jet smiled in relief.

"Ever since my guide threw his back out on the way here, I've been stuck in this village. You just don't go wandering around the swamp without an escort," Jet explained. "I'll be glad to get back to Omashu in one piece."

"I just hope Aang can find us," Zuko sighed. "This place is really weird. It was like it wanted Toph. I had to threaten it to find her."

Jet looked at him in disbelief. "And just how do you threaten a swamp?" he asked dryly.

Jet's laughter rang out across the village as Zuko explained.

Miles away, Aang pointed at the gigantic tree that both stood at the center of the swamp and was its source. "I sure hope Hu is home," he called back to the girls.

Within a few moments, they'd landed in as close a place as they could to where they'd met Hu before.

"Hu!" Aang called. "We need to talk to you!"

He'd just prepared to kneel and search for him as he'd done before, when a deep voice answered from above. "Avatar Aang! What a pleasant surprise!"

Soon they'd been ushered into Hu's simple dwelling, formed out of the trunk of the giant tree. To Katara it smelled a little like mushrooms. To Mai it was a little too damp. Hu gestured toward some large woody knobs that poked out of the walls like chairs and they all took a seat.

"So how have y'all been? It's been a spell since I've seen you and Katara. Mai, how is everything in Omashu?" Hu began, apparently glad of the company.

"We've all been fine," Aang began. "But we're missing some of our group. Do remember Toph Bei Fong and Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation?"

"Of course I do," Hu replied magnanimously, then offered them something suspiciously squishy- looking to eat. Aang wished Sokka had been there to accept as he cautiously took the driest looking bit of greeny-yellow mushiness. He dropped it into his mouth with a little smile and nod at Hu and tried not to gag as it slid down his throat.

Hu held out the wooden platter hopefully to Mai and Katara only to have Mai shake her head politely.

"I just ate," Katara said regretfully, only to have her stomach growl noisily. "Well, maybe one," she stated in resignation, taking the smallest morsel and choking it down. "Mmmmm, chewy," she managed.

"Toph and Zuko went missing into the swamp last night," Aang explained, passing up seconds. "It was like the swamp wanted them or something. One minute I could sense them there, and the next they were gone."

"Hmmmm," Hu thought out loud. "The swamp hasn't sought out anyone for a long time—and it is rare indeed that it seeks to speak with anyone from the outside."

"You mean the swamp is actually talking to them?" Katara asked incredulously.

"Quite possibly," Hu stated, then reached down both hands to the floor and closed his eyes in concentration. Aang slipped into the avatar state in order to have a better awareness of what Hu was asking.

His eyes still closed, Hu murmured, "They are in Ha Zha Du village, on the edge of the swamp. Well, one of them is. The young lady, Toph, is physically in the village, but spiritually far away. She's in the spirit world with the spirit of the swamp." Then Hu looked up with a bemused grin. "The swamp hasn't spoke to an earthbender since Bumi. I'd say that's a good sign, wouldn't you?"

"A good sign of what?" Mai asked suspiciously.

Hu looked at their confused faces in surprise. "Bumi is looking for the next king of Omashu. I'd say he and the swamp have picked Toph," he explained brightly.

At their continued looks of confusion, Hu patiently continued, "The king of Omashu is also the swamp's guardian. He keeps the rest of the Earth Kingdom from interfering in our affairs." Then he gave them an amused look, "Not that anybody on the outside is interested in what happens to the swamp."

"So the swamp has picked Toph?" Aang asked. "Why?"

"Who knows? The swamp is connected to the entire world. Not much gets past her. She's full of good stories," Hu laughed. "I'm sure Toph is having a great time visiting in the spirit world, but it's still not a good idea for her to be there for very long. The longer you stay in there, the more tetched you are when you come out."

"Tetched?" asked Katara doubtfully.

"Yeah, not right. You know--loony. Bumi was in there for days when the swamp picked him. I've never stayed more than a few hours at a time," Hu explained.

"But I've been in the spirit world a bunch of times and it's never affected me," Aang replied. Then he looked at Katara, a little bit of fear in his gray eyes and asked, "Has it?"

"Not at all," she assured him kindly.

"But it's different for you, Aang. You are the avatar," Hu stated firmly. "The spirit world is always a part of you. For the rest of us, venturing into the world of spirit can be tough indeed. Some come out completely insane--"

"Like Bumi," Mai muttered under her breath.

Hu graciously ignored her. "And some come out with a totally new perspective on things. I remember many years ago, Fire Lord Iroh spent time in the swamp. To my knowledge, he's the only firebender she's ever taken inside to meet," Hu remembered. "And some time later, he actually went back again on his own. I think he found it helpful."

"Helpful?" Mai scoffed.

"Iroh," Aang sighed. "That explains a lot."

Hu settled back to tell them more, but Aang held up a hand to stop him. "Hu, as much as I really would like to know more, I think we need to find Toph and Zuko. Toph doesn't want to be ruler of Omashu. She's married to Zuko and has already made a commitment to be Fire Lady some day. She can't exactly do both."

Hu looked downcast. "I guess not. But the swamp is looking for another protector. She'll search every earthbender that comes along until she finds one." Then Hu stood up and walked to the door. "We better go help out. She won't like having to let Toph go."

Meanwhile, in the spirit world, Toph was having the time of her life. When she'd lain down to sleep the night before--tired, wet, and scared out of her mind--she'd had no idea she'd wake up—if she was awake at all—somewhere so strange but so real.

By far, the strangest of the strange things was that in this place, she could see.

See.

Really see.

At first, she'd had no idea what was happening to her. It was like her earthbending sight had taken on a thousand additional dimensions. Rough shapes became clear and vibrant. Details sprang out at her. She got levels of information and clarity that she had no idea how to interpret.

After much wonderment, she came to one conclusion—color. She was seeing colors for the first time.

She wandered around for hours just looking at everything. Sometimes she had to call on her earthbending abilities to figure out what things were—but especially difficult were items that were not connected to the earth.

At one point she stood before a waterfall—she knew what it was by the sound—and watched the cascading droplets, the light sparkling off them in the same way that diamonds or granite sparkled to her earthbending sight.

As she roamed through the very leafy, very . . . green--she couldn't believe she was using the word and knew for once what it meant to be green—landscape, she couldn't stop grinning. Then she came across what appeared to be a dwelling of some kind, formed of natural materials like tree trunks and branches—almost as if it had grown in place. In front was a clay fire pit with a small fire in it.

"Zuko!" she sighed as she ran forward. "It's your element, Sparky!" She held her hands out toward the heat, but couldn't take her eyes off the dancing flames. They were so beautiful, ever changing, ever moving. Power—but contained. Like Zuko. She knelt down next to the fire pit with a sigh and watched it burn.

A little noise from the doorway of the dwelling alerted her and she turned to see a woman approach. At least she thought it was a woman. Her earthbending sight showed her that the woman had a hint of woodiness about her makeup, and she was almost certain that people usually weren't the color of the leaves on the trees around her.

"Hello, Toph Bei Fong," the woman said sweetly as she approached. She moved slowly and in a very stately, almost stiff manner as she approached the fire and knelt next to Toph.

"Hello," Toph replied with a polite bow. "How do you know my name?"

"I know many things," the woman replied, her voice smooth and deep. To the best of Toph's ability to tell these things, she was very young and beautiful, but she sounded much older or maybe just more mature than she looked.

"I know that you have come to my swamp for a reason. You seek answers to your destiny. I know your destiny, Toph Bei Fong," the woman said confidently, sweeping back her long silky hair with one hand.

"Oh, you do?" Toph asked. "And may I ask what my destiny is?"

"You will be ruler of Omashu," the spirit woman proclaimed in a steady voice as she tossed a small piece of coal onto the fire.

"And what if I refuse? What if I already have plans for another destiny?" Toph asked, watching the little piece of earth catch fire and burn with fascination.

"You will not refuse," the woman said easily, turning to look Toph squarely in the eye and giving her a smooth, confident smile. "You will rule Omashu or you will die."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"Rule Omashu or die?" Toph blurted with an incredulous laugh. "You have got to be kidding! Where the heck am I anyway?"

"You are in the spirit world, and I do not kid," came the cold answer. Around Toph the wind began to pick up and the tree branches overhead began to sway violently.

"Okay, okay," Toph soothed. "You don't kid, and I'm not dreaming." The wind began to die back and the branches settled once again.

This green chick is more of a drama queen than Katara ever dreamed of being, Toph thought to herself. She decided the diplomatic route might be wise. "The thing is," she began more cautiously, "I'm not Toph Bei Fong anymore. I'm Princess Toph of the Fire Nation. I kind of have a job already."

"Fire Nation?" the woman jeered. "You would exchange one of the greatest, most ancient cities of the Earth Kingdom, the home of earthbending itself, for the Fire Nation?"

"Well, it's not so much the Fire Nation as it is my husband, Crown Prince Zuko," Toph explained. "I've already made a promise to him before the Fire Nation, the avatar, and the spirits. I won't break it."

"Why not?" snapped the green woman peevishly. "You have been selected to rule Omashu. It is your destiny."

"My destiny is with my husband. I love him," Toph replied.

The woman gave her a disbelieving look. "Let's just see what's so special about this—Zuko, was it?" she stated, then gave little wave of her hand.

Out of nowhere Zuko appeared before them, staggering a little with the abruptness of his arrival. Then he quickly gained his balance and his bearings, zeroing in on Toph.

"Sparky!" she cried, running for him. Unfortunately, the angry green lady intervened, freezing the two of them into place. But if Toph couldn't run into his arms, at least she could see him. The first thing she saw was his eyes, gold like the fire that burned beside her, gold like the sun above her. She'd never understood gold until that moment.

Everything about him was fiery—his flashing eyes, the scar that ran across his face like the tongue of an angry flame, even the color of his clothing spoke heat and blaze to her. Not to mention the fact that he was furious at being held immobile.

"Please," she begged the spirit. "Please let me go to him, just for a moment."

The spirit looked at her with supreme disdain, then waved her hand dismissively and Toph was free. She ran into her husband's arms, alternating between holding him and looking at him.

"Toph, sweetie," he murmured between kisses to her face and lips. "Are you okay? I was worried sick about you."

"I'm fine, Sparky," Toph replied, drinking him in with all her senses. "Oh, you are so beautiful, you know that?"

"Let's get out of here," he stated firmly.

"And how do you plan to do that?" the green spirit asked disdainfully. "Stupid human. I brought you here—you will depart at my pleasure alone."

Zuko turned and looked at his hostess for the first time. His eyes widened the slightest bit as he took in his true surroundings. "My pardon," he replied politely with the most courteous bow imaginable. "I meant no disrespect."

"Suck-up," Toph sniggered beneath her breath.

To her surprise, the green spirit actually seemed impressed and preened a little at his obvious show of lowliness. "Finally, someone who appreciates his position," she stated with a sharp little glance at Toph. Toph barely restrained herself from sticking out her tongue. She didn't know who this spirit lady was, but she was heartily tired of dealing with her.

Zuko, on the other hand, had grasped the politics of the situation pretty quickly. He'd been around enough petty tyrants and spoiled ladies of privilege to know how to placate them long enough to get what he really wanted.

"My lady, I thank you for allowing me to come here as your most humble guest. My uncle, Fire Lord Iroh, has spoken to me of the wonders of the spirit world. I never dreamed I would one day be granted the privilege of seeing it myself," Zuko bowed again even more deeply as he tried to ignore Toph's little snickers beside him. He knew what he was doing.

"Iroh?" the spirit asked gesturing for him to take a seat. "Your uncle is Iroh of the Fire Nation?"

"Yes, my lady, he is. I am his heir," Zuko replied, sitting next to her. Toph settled in close to him, her newly found vision examining every inch of her beloved Zuko. She hoped they'd talk a long time, so she could commit each detail to memory.

Meanwhile, Zuko racked his brain for everything his uncle had let drop over the years. A few times when Iroh was completely inebriated, he'd talk about the beautiful green woman he'd met in the spirit world after Ba Sing Se. This had to be her—but what was her name? Beside him, Toph kept looking at him with the strangest expression on her face. It was almost like she was really looking at him with her eyes. Strange.

"Iroh came to me many years ago on his travels through the spirit world," the spirit said dreamily. "He was a very entertaining guest."

"He spoke of you in the most glowing terms possible, my lady Lian Shen," Zuko replied with another bow of his head, hoping the name was correct.

"He remembered me!" Lian Shen gushed with inhumanly beautiful smile.

"How could he forget your beauty, your courtesy, or your understanding in a difficult time?" Zuko asked, leaning a little toward the spirit. "He spoke of how you ministered to him in a time of great sorrow."

"Poor Iroh," Lian Shen sighed, reaching out to take Zuko's hand. Toph began to grow suspicious. "He was so distraught when he came to me last. I can't really remember what about—some human trouble or another. But I nursed him through it."

Zuko nodded in sympathetic gratitude. "He came to you when his son, Lu Ten, was killed at Ba Sing Se," he explained.

"Yes, that was it," Lian Shen gushed sympathetically, moving one of her hands to Zuko's thigh and leaning closer as if to comfort him too. "He was terribly upset. I did my best to take his mind off things."

Toph thought she was going to throw up—especially if that green witch didn't take her hands off her husband. She wondered if she could bend an earth box around her that would hold long enough for them to find their own way out.

"Zuko," Toph interjected in hopes of diverting Lian Shen's attention away from Zuko, "this nice lady thinks I should be the ruler of Omashu. But I told her I already have plans with you."

Zuko gave her a little nod, then turned back to Lian Shen. "Please, my lady, allow Toph to return to the Fire Nation. My uncle is counting on me to be the heir he lost at Ba Sing Se," Zuko continued. "Toph is the bride he chose for me so that his family line would continue unbroken." Zuko looked at the willowy green spirit with all the seriousness he could manage.

"How sweet of Iroh to select your bride!" Lian Shen cooed. "Well, of course his family line should continue to rule the Fire Nation. And it will." She reached out to take both of Zuko's hands in a possessive grasp. "Don't worry, young prince. Your Toph is carrying a child right now—a boy, in fact," Lian Shen offered in a quiet voice, as if Toph was not to hear.

Toph heard herself take a little breath in surprise and felt Zuko do the same. However, he hid his reaction better than she did and smoothly continued, "For my uncle's sake, my lady Lian Shen, please allow us both to return to the Fire Nation to make his joy complete by telling him the wonderful news that his family will continue to grow."

Lian Shen seemed to think a moment, then magnanimously stated, "Zuko of the Fire Nation, I grant your request. Toph is released to serve as your wife and the mother of your children."

Toph nearly choked on her indignation at the spirit's version of her marriage. But she held back as the two of them stood and bowed gratefully. Then the spirit rose majestically and held out her hand to Zuko.

"You are welcome to return to me at any time, young Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation," she said suggestively. "If you come into the swamp, I will feel your presence and call you to me." He bowed again, more to hide the blush that rose to his face than anything else. "Farewell, young firebender," she said with a sly smile, and he vanished with a wave of her hand.

Then she turned back to Toph, her demeanor slipping back into piqued swamp spirit mode. "You must find us a new ruler of Omashu. An earthbender who understands the importance of--"

"Neutral jing," Toph cut her off brusquely. She was really out of patience now with this spirit hussy. "I've had this chat with Bumi already."

Lian Shen drew herself up to her full height and looked down at Toph with an unearthly sternness. Toph actually became a little afraid that she'd crossed the line. She wondered how it would feel to become a swamp plant.

"Toph Bei Fong," the spirit growled, "you will not take this mission lightly. I expect a ruler to be found—one that will meet with my approval—and quickly. You will not be out of my sight, disrespectful human girl. If not for the fact that you carry the child of Prince Zuko—heir to my beloved Iroh," she sighed indulgently at the thoughts of the two firebenders, then her eyes turned back to Toph and flashed menacingly, "I would strike you down. Do you understand me?"

Toph forced herself into full obeisance mode. "Yes, my lady Lian Shen. I meant no disrespect. I will search long and hard for the right candidate for the most important post of ruler of Omashu," she said with a humble, deep bow, one hand pressed to her belly at Lian Shen's reaffirmation of her pregnancy.

Lian Shen looked at her for a long moment, then with a wave of her hand airily said, "You may depart."

With a start, Toph opened her eyes in some kind of hut. She was dismayed to see that her vision had returned to normal—normal for her at least. A glance to her side revealed Zuko lying on a cot next to her, moaning feverishly as an old woman attempted to soothe him.

"Quiet now," she said. "It'll be over in a minute, boy. I've got good sharp knives here. You won't feel a thing—much."

"What's going on?" Toph asked, shaking bits of crumbled dried slime from her arms.

The old woman ran to her side, leaving Zuko in the care of another man, one she recognized immediately—Jet.

"So yer awake at last," the woman said. "I'm Dei Zi, the village healer. Your young man here got bit by a cottonmouth gar. He's gone all feverish. We're gonna have to take his leg off."

"Wait just a minute," Toph exclaimed, pushing back the covers and staggering over to Zuko's bedside. "You're not taking anything off my husband without my approval."

Then she looked down at Zuko's leg. Her improved earthbending abilities where he was concerned gave her the seriousness of the situation immediately. The venom was destroying muscle and nerve tissue rapidly—and worse, it was spreading.

"Take it off," Toph said grimly.

"Here," Jet spoke up. "Use this. It's the sharpest blade I've ever seen." His sword sang as he pulled it out of its simple sheath. Toph immediately recognized it as well.

"Where did you find this?" she asked with a gasp.

"In the forest a few years back," Jet answered. "Why? Do you know where it came from?"

"It's Sokka's meteor sword," she replied, stroking it reverently with one finger, careful of the edge of the blade. "He dropped it in the battle over the Earth Kingdom on the day Aang defeated Ozai."

"I found it in one of the burned over sections of the forest," Jet answered. "But we'll discuss it later. Right now, it's the best blade available to do what has to be done."

Zuko groaned and mumbled, clearly delirious with pain and fever. "Shhhh, baby," Toph said softly, taking a cool wet cloth to his brow. His eyes flew open to look at her. For a second, she could still see the gold.

"Toph, where were we? Who was that woman?" he asked in confusion. "I looked for you everywhere." His voice drifted off weakly as his eyes fluttered shut.

"He ain't getting no better," Dei Zi said grimly. "We better get ready to take that leg off. I just hope we can get above the poison. Otherwise he might bleed to death on us."

Toph shuddered. She couldn't believe she was about to place her husband's life in the hands of some backwoods swamp healer. As much as she agreed that something had to be done, she wished desperately Katara would suddenly show up on Appa to help. She tried to stay calm as Dei Zi began to probe the angry tissue on Zuko's leg.

To Zuko it all seemed to be a dream—or a nightmare. Images of a garden and Toph flickered before him. Then he could only see the inside of a dark shack where Toph lay so still. Ever present was a searing pain down his leg.

Had he gone somewhere? What had the green woman told him? It was something important. Was it real? Everything seemed to fade in and out on him. He wasn't sure if that was reality and this was the dream.

A soft voice was speaking to him, Toph's voice, but he couldn't make out the words and he didn't have the strength to open his eyes. The one thing he clung to was that Toph had been present in both places and that she was fine.

And he hurt so bad. His leg felt like it was being blasted with blue fire. The slightest movement, the lightest touch sent excruciating blazes of pain that ran down his leg and back up into his spine, as if his nerves were on fire as well. Worse, he was beginning to hurt all over, not just his leg.

He tried to breathe through it, tried to call on the healing heat of his element, but the heat and energy only seemed to feed the agony, making it exponentially worse. He thought he might pass out.

All around him voices buzzed, some he thought he knew, some he didn't. He managed to open his eyes, hoping to see Toph there, hoping that she really was awake and that he hadn't been dreaming.

She was there.

He held her with his eyes and tried to listen to what she was saying, but nothing made sense. Behind her, other people stood, but he couldn't make out their faces. Only Toph mattered.

Then there was another burst of pain from his leg as he felt someone touching him, sending white hot daggers into his nervous system.

His vision grew spotty and again his consciousness began to slip away. The last thing he felt was something cold against his skin, followed by another sharp pain. Then darkness took him.


	10. Chapter 10

_(AN: If you are of weak constitution, you might want to skip to the end. This gets a bit intense.)_

Chapter Ten

Toph watched as Dei Zi took a cloth and dipped it into a smelly antiseptic solution, then drenched Zuko's leg with the cold mixture, rubbing it into the skin so vigorously that Zuko gasped in pain.

"Be careful!" Toph cried as she watched Zuko's eyes roll back into unconsciousness.

"You gotta get this stuff worked in right or it won't do no good," the old healer explained. "Besides, now that he's out cold, he won't mind the pain so much."

"This is awful," Jet said with a shudder. "Isn't there somebody else around who's trained to help you?"

"Nope," Dei Zi stated firmly as she proceeded to wash down her knives and Jet's sword blade with the antiseptic. Then she fixed Jet with her watery blue eyes. "You'll have to do."

Jet steeled his nerves as the woman applied a tourniquet around Zuko's upper thigh. "Let me get some wads of cloth. This'll get right messy," she added brusquely.

Toph turned a frightening shade of pale. Jet was afraid she might actually throw up or faint or something, but instead she tilted her head slightly as if listening to something.

"Well, I guess we ought to--" Dei Zi began grimly, when suddenly Toph pushed her aside and frantically began to loosen the tourniquet again. "What are you doin', girl?"

"They're here," Toph sobbed in relief, pointing to the doorway. "I'd know Appa's grunt anywhere."

Jet dashed out of the hut to see the huge sky bison landing in the grassy area between the huts. "Katara! Hurry!" he cried.

Katara's bright blue eyes flashed as she slid recklessly off Appa's back and ran toward Jet. Within seconds, she knelt at Zuko's bedside, a globe of crystal blue water in her hands.

"It was some kind of venomous fish," Toph explained, tears streaming down her face in her deep relief to see the waterbending healer.

Aang and Mai moved into the hut to stand near them, Mai quickly moving back at the awful sight of Zuko's swollen leg. Jet took the opportunity to move back as well—he didn't want to be in the way, he said to himself. Hu took one look inside the door, shuddered a little, then quickly made himself scarce.

"This is pretty bad," Katara said worriedly. "The venom has really done a job on the muscle and nerve tissue."

"I tried pulling it out," Dei Zi explained, "but by the time I got to him, the poison had already moved too deep."

"Are you a bending healer?" Katara asked, looking up from her examination to take a better look at the old woman.

"No, girl," Dei Zi said, holding up her hands, "there's none of them around here anymore. The art's been lost, I'm afeared."

"It was where I grew up too," Katara said with a sigh. "Are you a bender though?"

"Some," Dei Zi said with interest. "Do you know how to heal?"

"Some," Katara answered, then faced the old healer directly. "Just what are we dealing with?"

"Cottonmouth gar—pretty big one by the bite marks," Dei Zi began, gesturing at the parallel rows of jagged puncture wounds just above Zuko's knee. "If you get to it fast, the right poultice will draw the poison out. It'll hurt real bad, but won't start the rot. This 'un," she gestured down to Zuko, "just kept on movin' and that caused the poison to start travelin' inside him."

Toph bit back a response that Zuko hadn't exactly had a choice.

"So what does this poison do exactly?" Katara asked.

"It tears up the flesh and makes you bleed real bad. If it gets aholt of you deep like this, all you can do is take off the limb. Otherwise it'll slowly rot you to death," Dei Zi said seriously.

"What if you cut away the affected tissue? What then?" Katara began to carefully probe the wounded area.

"Well, if you get rid of what's gone bad, the rest generally does all right," the old woman said with a shrug. "But the bad flesh is running too deep and too far up inside his leg to cut away. And even if you stop the rot, he's still got to deal with the after pain. Sometime soon it'll start working on him and there ain't no stopping it. You just got to live through it."

Katara thought for a moment, then began to pass the water globe across the wound again. "Let's start by seeing if we can pull out more of this venom with a few bending techniques. Do you have a large bowl or container?"

As Dei Zi moved to pick up a bucket from the other side of the hut, Katara turned to Toph and Aang. "I'm going to try to bend the venom back out. If he wakes up, try to keep him still."

Aang moved to one side and Toph took the other. "Jet, you stand ready in case we need you," Aang instructed. Aang took a quick look at Jet and Mai, who had edged even closer toward the door. Both of them looked a bit pale.

Beside him Katara took a deep, meditative breath and began to work her healing. The clear globe of water flowed over and around the swollen limb, turning red and cloudy as blood began to flow out of the small jagged wounds above Zuko's knee. A sudden noise at the door prompted Aang to turn. Mai and Jet were no longer in the hut.

"Jet?" Aang called firmly.

"I'm just right outside the door," Jet's voice came back without hesitation.

"So am I," Mai explained, "if you need me." Mai had put a little extra emphasis on the word 'need', Aang thought to himself.

As he watched Katara continue to pull dark, bloody fluid away from the bite area, Aang reconsidered and decided that Jet and Mai had the right idea. Thank goodness Toph couldn't see it, he thought.

But to her surprise, Toph could see all too well how Zuko's blood flowed in the healing water. After every pass, Katara would hover the water over the bucket and release the blood, rendering the water clean and invisible to her again. Then Toph would watch the globe refill itself as Katara worked.

After several minutes, Katara replaced the clean water into her waterskin and stretched her shoulders. "I don't think I'll be able to get any more this way," she sighed. "The venom has traveled deep into the tissues."

"Like I said," Dei Zi began, "once it's worked its way down deep, it starts to run up the muscle, eating it away as it goes."

"What else can you do?" Toph asked quietly, as she gently wiped Zuko's forehead with a cool, damp cloth. He lay still and quiet. His heart was strong, but his breathing had become more shallow as Katara had worked.

"I say we cut the leg off," Dei Zi said matter-of-factly. "Unless you know of a way to pull out the bad parts from the inside."

"You could make an incision," Jet's voice said from the doorway. "That would get down into the damaged parts."

"An incision would also create enough opening to send the water down into the tissue instead of just working from the outside," Katara added thoughtfully.

"Well, the knives are clean," Dei Zi said, gesturing to a well-scrubbed wooden tray holding her surgical instruments.

Katara picked up one of the knives, then put it down again nervously. "I've never done anything like this before," she said. "Healers in the Water Tribe don't intentionally cause wounds." She looked up at Dei Zi.

The old woman shrugged. "I don't generally cut stuff that I don't mean to cut off."

They both looked at Aang, who threw up his hands. "I'm a vegetarian. I don't even cut up dinner."

Jet came into the room and held out his hands. "Clean me up, Katara," he said. "As many Fire Nation arrows as I've removed from people, surely I can do this without messing up too badly."

Katara ran the globe of water over Jet's hands, noticing that they shook just the tiniest bit. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.

"Just watch for bleeding and stop it if you can," he said firmly.

Aang moved back a little to give Jet room to work and noticed that Mai had stepped back into the hut, though she stood as close to the door as possible.

Jet took one of Dei Zi's offered knives and carefully cut through the top layers of skin, exposing the unhealthy looking muscle beneath. "That enough?" he asked shakily.

"Not really," Katara replied, clearing up the bleeding and erasing the pain with her globe of water. "See how much further you can go."

"You guys keep an eye on him, okay?" Jet replied nervously, then made another incision, going deeper this time.

Zuko groaned and stirred a little, prompting Aang and Dei Zi to reach out to hold him still.

"One more time," Katara said as the healing water moved across the wound.

Jet gritted his teeth and carefully followed the line of muscle down nearly to the bone, carefully avoiding what he knew to be tendons. He didn't want to accidentally cut something really important. Funny how battlefield experience sometimes came in handy, he thought.

"That should do it," Katara said to his relief. "Now help them hang onto him. Mai, you come help Toph. This is going to be a lot worse."

She set herself into a deep meditative state so she could follow the water with her senses. As she forced the water into the tissue, she could immediately feel a difference between the healthy muscle tissue and the strands that had begun to break down. She was glad to see there was enough healthy tissue remaining to recover function—possibly even fully recover knowing how hard Zuko liked to train.

But she could also sense traces of sticky yellow venom making its way up the leg tissue. She tried to remove a little and found that it was stubborn, but yielded to her water's pressure. However, as she followed the trail of venom, she realized that time was of the essence. It seemed to crawl up the muscle and bone, secreting toxins as it went. Very soon, it would arrive at the main artery that ran into the leg.

If she didn't stop it quickly, she realized that at best, the venom would damage the artery to the point that amputation would be necessary after all, but at worst, it would enter the bloodstream and be impossible for her to stop. Who knew what damage would be done before Zuko's body could metabolize it—if it could be metabolized at all.

At any other time, she would pour as much energy into pain relief as she did healing—she hated to hurt people. But now she didn't have the luxury of offering pain relief. Speed was far too important.

"Toph, I need to warn you," she began softly, "this won't be easy to watch. Do you want to leave the room?"

Toph looked at her, those big green eyes open wide in frightened understanding. "No," she whispered hoarsely. "I won't leave him."

Katara nodded in acceptance. She wouldn't leave Aang either, but she had to ask. Taking another deep breath, she filled her mind with her element and went to work in desperate earnest.

She carefully, but thoroughly began to systematically pull the tissues apart, severing the damaged areas and stripping them away from the healthy. She wondered how long Zuko would stay unconscious. She hoped it would be a while.

Unfortunately, within moments, Zuko woke to absolute torture. If the pain had been bad before, now it was multiplied by ten at least. Each time Katara sent her waters into the damaged muscle and tissues, it felt like needles of fire were running up into his body. When the waters pulled back the dead tissue and blood clots, it felt like his leg was being ripped apart fiber by fiber.

Then she began to work along the bone.

Once, when he was a very little boy, he'd fallen onto a stone step, breaking one of his baby teeth. The deep, piercing ache when the cold air hit that bare nerve had been one of the most sickening pains he'd ever felt.

Now that same sickening feeling penetrated the long bone of his thigh straight to the marrow. His mouth tasted like metal and his stomach heaved in nausea. Suddenly the smells of antiseptic, blood, and infection overwhelmed him and he was violently ill.

Finally, she was done. Everyone kept their eyes away from the bucket of half dissolved tissue and blood. Everyone but Dei Zi, who peered down into it curiously.

"Any way you can get the venom back out of there?" she asked Katara. At Katara's look of shocked disbelief, she explained, "Gar venom's good for healing too--if you handle it right."

The group just stared at her blankly; then Jet suddenly laughed out loud in relief. Hu peeped in the door of the hut. "Is it over?" he asked worriedly.

"I think so," Aang replied with a questioning look at Katara as she wrung her hands clean and dry over the bucket. She nodded.

Suddenly Toph called out to her in an anxious voice, "Katara, something's wrong!"

As the pain in Zuko's leg had subsided, his mind had begun to clear. He remembered where he was and what had happened to him. He'd opened his eyes to look for Toph. His eyes met hers, but just as he tried to speak to her, his nerves seemed to burst into flame. She reached out to stroke his forehead, but the touch of her hand sent spikes of pain across his skin and he began to hurt all over.

"Katara, what's happening to him?" Toph asked, breathless with worry.

"He's gone into some kind of shock," Katara surmised, coming back to the cot. "I don't know what it is, though. I know I got all the damaged tissue and remaining venom out." She sounded extremely tired and disheartened.

"Gar venom takes itself into you hard," Dei Zi answered as she stepped closer. "Even after you get the rot stopped, you got to live through the pain. Makes your whole body hurt something awful. You lose your mind a little too."

Dei Zi paused to look into Zuko's unfocused eyes. He didn't seem to see her at all. "He ought to get through it okay in a few hours. But sometimes it takes a few days. At least you stopped it from eating away his leg," she said cheerfully, giving Katara a hearty clap on the shoulder. "This part'll pass too. He'll just be awful miserable till it does."

Katara looked down at Zuko's leg where she'd managed to heal up the long incision and the puncture wounds from the cottonmouth gar's teeth. It did look a good deal better. The swelling was way down and the color was getting back to normal already. He'd lost some muscle tissue and maybe some nerve function, but with time, healing, and work she hoped he would regain full function and strength.

But as she looked down at his restless body, tossing on the small cot in such obvious distress, she felt like she'd failed him as a healer. "Dei Zi, isn't there something more we can do for him?" she asked.

"Not really," Dei Zi answered sadly. "The best thing is to just leave him be. He won't be thinking too straight for a while anyway. He'll likely not even know we're gone. We'll just keep it dark and quiet in here and with nothing touching his skin. Any noise, any light, any touch will hurt real bad."

At that announcement, Toph rounded everyone up without ceremony and pushed them out the door of the hut. "In that case," she said as she blew out the lamplight then pulled the wooden door shut behind them, "everybody out."

Aang thought things over for a second, then lapsed without a word into the avatar state. Within a few moments, he was back.

"I've tried to find another answer or a cure," he began quietly. "I'm really sorry, Toph. The only thing the past avatars have said is that the less stimulation his nervous system receives, the faster he'll get over it." Toph nodded at him as he continued, "I was going to recommend we try to fly him back to Omashu, but I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Peace is what he needs," Dei Zi affirmed with a scratch to her arm. "The rest of us need to keep quiet and give him room to get over it."

Toph gave them all another nod, as if she couldn't trust herself to speak, then went back to the door. Katara stopped her with a touch to her arm. "I'll come stay with him in a little while so you can get some rest, okay?" Katara suggested gently.

"I'll be fine," Toph said firmly, then went back inside the hut, shutting the door softly, but firmly behind her.

The darkness presented no obstacles to her at all as she crossed the wooden floor, all her attention on her husband. He stood out to her earthbending sight in sharp relief to everything in the room around him.

"Zuko? Baby? Can you hear me?" she asked quietly as she knelt beside the little low cot. She longed to touch him, to let him know she was there, but Dei Zi's warning stayed her hand. He didn't answer, but tossed and groaned, mumbling to himself in a hoarse voice and pulling at the blanket that covered him.

Carefully, she removed the blanket and loosened his clothing. His breathing was irregular, punctuated by sharp intakes of air. However, his heartbeat remained strong. Dei Zi said there was nothing to do but live through it, Toph reminded herself. Zuko would live through it—she'd see to that.

Zuko had no idea what was happening to him as the next stage of the venom began to work in earnest. Inside his body, a final component of the cottonmouth gar's complex toxins was sending his entire nervous system cascading into painful failure.

Everything had turned upside down and inside out on him. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't think—he existed only in a world of searing pain that invaded every inch of him, ran along every nerve fiber from his fingertips to his feet.

He tried to back away from the insistent, merciless agony, tried to breathe through it. But there was no place inside him where he could find refuge. He didn't know where he was. The confusion grew stronger, and fear and pain began to dominate him. He tried to meditate, but his concentration just wouldn't hold.

He opened his eyes and tried to see, but the light blinded him, and his head felt like it would split open. At some level he knew he was begging, begging for mercy and he couldn't stop.

"Please," he tried to say. He called her name, but she didn't answer him. He pleaded with her, but she wasn't there. Then he didn't know who he was calling for any more. And everything became chaos and pain.

Tears flowed freely down Toph's face as her husband called for her in agony. Though she answered and spoke to him time and time again, assuring him that he was not alone, that she was right there, his pleas grew more frantic and disjointed. So she pleaded with the heavens to give him release, to let her take his place. But the heavens were silent.

Outside the hut, the rest of them looked at each other for a moment. Then Dei Zi shrugged and went off in another direction. Hu wandered by, looking distracted, then headed off to where a group of men stood at a distance.

"Any ideas?" Jet asked.

"Wait and see, I guess," Aang replied. "Maybe it will be over soon. Until then, we'll just be ready in case we're needed." Then Aang and Katara walked back over toward Appa to unpack the bedrolls and get the large sky bison settled in for the night, leaving Jet and Mai alone together.

Up until that moment, Jet had been too preoccupied by Zuko's predicament to pay much attention to the young woman who'd come in with Aang and Katara. But when he finally got a good look at her, he caught his breath.

It was her--the girl in his dreams who kept looking at him like she had something to say to him. He found himself staring at her as she watched Aang remove Appa's giant saddle with an effortless puff of air.

Finally, he regained his presence of mind enough to speak to her. "Hi, the name's Jet," he began as casually as he could.

"I know who you are," came the cool reply as she turned to look up at him, her gray eyes piercing him. "What I want to know is where is my brother?"

_(AN: If you think Zuko's plight is extreme, read up a little on the Irukandji jellyfish. It'll make you never want to swim in Australia again.)_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Jet looked at the young woman in confusion. Then he could have kicked himself. This was Lady Mai. Zuko said she was with Aang and Katara. Of course she's wondering where her brother is.

"Lady Mai, your brother is still safe in Ba Sing Se. I never got that far," he began, then gestured toward the seats pulled up by the big central firepit. Mai gave him an appraising look, which, to his surprise, made him a little nervous.

They each took a seat and he hesitantly began to tell her about Bo's obsession with catgator. To his relief, instead of being angry, within a few minutes she was actually laughing with him and he began to relax.

In his dreams she'd always looked at him in challenge, but now her eyes sparkled in amusement. Out of the corner of his eye he studied her in fascination. She wasn't dressed very fancy, but something about her still shouted aristocrat. Maybe it was the way she sat, her posture just so. Maybe it was the way her hair was arranged. All he knew was that he felt like he was underdressed somehow.

He tried to remember everything he'd heard in Omashu about Lady Mai-- the powerful daughter of the former governor, then powerful Fire Nation representative in her own right. City gossip had little to say about her. She kept a pretty low profile, doing the rounds of official gatherings.

A few rumors had surfaced about her when she'd first came, though. They'd said she'd sold out her family to help Princess Azula and had helped take Ba Sing Se from the inside.

But those rumors had died down when Fire Lord Iroh himself had installed her into her post. He was the hero who had retaken Ba Sing Se with their beloved King Bumi and the Order of the White Lotus. If Mai was good enough for him, she was good enough for everybody, it seemed.

Jet had never cared one way or the other. Once the war was over, he'd been jaded enough by what he'd seen from all sides that in many ways he'd ceased to care about anyone or anything—either to love it or hate it.

His philosophy had become wait and see. Take no action until you know what action to take. Many an enemy had become a friend and many a friend had turned out to be an enemy over the years. It paid to be patient and wait to see what people were really like before falling in or falling out with them.

But something about this girl challenged his patience. He found himself wanting to make a judgment about her, to see her in a positive light.

Then she stood up and said, "Well, where are the treegeckos? Let's saddle up and head out to Ba Sing Se."

"Are you crazy?" he asked in disbelief, looking up at her. "We're not traveling this swamp without a guide. You saw what happened to Zuko and Toph."

"The swamp had a reason to divert them. It doesn't have any reason to talk to us," she reasoned. "I don't think Aang and Katara need to leave here until Zuko is much better. In the meantime, we can go get Tom-Tom and meet them back here for the journey home."

Without another word, Mai headed over to where Aang and Katara were setting up camp and began pulling her belongings out of the pile.

Jet followed her, amazed at her hard-headedness. "You are insane," he blurted, perhaps unwisely.

She turned and gave him a cool look. "If you are afraid," she began, "you don't have to go with me."

"Yeah, right," Jet replied sharply. "Like I'm going to let an unarmed woman head off into dangerous territory on her own."

A little smile flickered across her face, and she asked, "So this means you're coming?"

Jet called to Aang in frustration only to have Katara shush him. "Keep it down, remember?" she said sternly.

Jet nodded, then walked over to Aang, hoping to gain an ally. To his dismay, Aang replied, "It might be a good idea for you and Mai to get Tom-Tom—that is, if she still wants him to come. Or you both could just head back home."

Mai thought about it for a moment. As much as she didn't want to back down in front of the mercenary Jet, maybe it wasn't entirely a good idea to bring Tom-Tom to Omashu right now. The general excitement had turned to something closer to general chaos. Who knew what Bumi would do the next time he had a major announcement to make?

"Maybe you're right, Aang," she relented, aware that Jet had bristled a little beside her. "I think we'll stay here with you guys for a couple of days. Then if Zuko isn't ready to travel, we'll head back to Omashu to let Sokka and Suki know we're all okay."

"We?" Jet asked suspiciously.

"Certainly," Mai responded evenly as she turned and gave the handsome young mercenary another long look. "My major domo hired you to deliver my brother to Omashu. Until he arrives, or I decide otherwise, you are in my employ, are you not?"

If he hadn't heard the little undercurrent of laughter in her voice, Jet would have been sorely tempted to throw Miss Mai's money right back in her face. Unfortunately, he'd left the bag of gold pieces back in Omashu—no point in risking that kind of money on the trail.

Plus, he realized that she was trying to get a rise out of him—pushing him a little to see how he'd respond. So, he decided to take the high road and gave her a deep bow of obeisance. "As you wish, my lady," he replied smoothly.

"However, if you plan to stay for a day or so," Jet continued, including Aang and Katara in his offer, "we better get you guys some shelter. It tends to rain at night. Plus, a door keeps the swamp creatures at bay."

"Creatures?" Mai asked, a hint of concern in her voice. Jet was glad to see that something had gotten to the imperturbable diplomat.

"Yeah," he began, "wolfbats, swampsquitos, centimanders, who knows what else is out there in the dark. You guys can stay in my hut. It's the only guest quarters in the village."

He magnanimously led the way to the small hut he'd been assigned, gathering his few belongings and shoving his cot to the side. Three more cots were found stored in the rafters, and soon bedrolls were laid out for the night.

They walked back to the central firepit for the evening meal, Katara taking a bowl of some kind of stew to Toph. When she got back to the other three, Aang asked how Zuko was doing.

Katara just sighed. "I'm really worried, Aang. He's in so much pain. I can tell it's taking a toll on Toph, but she wouldn't let me stay." She took the bowl Aang prepared for her and picked at her food a little.

"If he's not better soon," Aang said gently, "I'll go back to Omashu and to Ba Sing Se to see if any of their healers have any suggestions." Then Aang put his arm around her and she leaned against his shoulder. Then the young airbender gave her a gentle kiss.

The casual intimacy of their contact caused Jet and Mai to shift a little uncomfortably. Simultaneously, they each put down their empty food bowls and walked away from the fire a few steps before they even realized that the other had also walked away.

Jet looked over at the willowy, headstrong girl he'd dreamed of. "They looked like they needed a little space, I thought," he explained.

"I thought so too," Mai replied, looking back at the fire where Aang was stroking Katara's back. Then she looked away again into the forest around them. "So do you come here often?" she asked with a little grin.

Jet found himself laughing. "No," he replied firmly. "Well, I've been through here several times in the past, but no more. I'll be glad if I never set foot in this swamp again after this week."

Mai looked around, then found a semi-clean fallen tree trunk to sit on. "I don't know," she said, casting a casual glance around her, "it doesn't seem too bad to me. A little wet sometimes."

"A little wet, a little creepy, a little hazardous to your health," Jet replied. "Speaking of creepy, there's a centimander about a foot away from you, crawling toward your hand."

Jet was deeply gratified to see Mai leap at least four feet away from her seat. But after her initial jump, she turned and began searching for the creature. Soon, she was crouching down before the log, watching a little brownish tan centimander make its many footed way down the log and into a hollow spot on the end.

"I don't know," she said, looking up at Jet. "I think he's kind of cute."

Around them, the shadows were growing longer as the sun began to set. Jet wondered if Mai would still think it was cute if it were crawling across her neck in the middle of the night. He shook his head a little in disbelief as the two walked back toward the light of the fire.

Back in the healer's hut, Toph was not concerned about the animal life or the encroaching darkness. Her earthbending eyes, her heart, and her mind were focused on her husband. For the most part, Zuko was still delirious with the toxins in his system. The pain was clearly overwhelming. She'd never seen him in so much misery and confusion.

Once in a while, he'd regain some idea of where he was and that she was with him. During those few brief moments, she'd sit close to him and speak to him very quietly. She'd reassure and reassure that she was there and that she would not leave him. He'd beg her to turn off the lights, even though she'd drawn the curtains as firmly as she could.

She'd give him a sip of water, but the act of swallowing was clearly very painful. His voice was raspy and his skin was clammy with little beads of sweat. She'd tried to bathe his forehead very gently, but even that light touch had seemed to hurt him terribly, so she contented herself with just being with him.

She wished she could do more for him, especially in those moments when he was not aware of his surroundings and called out for her, for his mother, for his uncle. Sometimes he seemed to be reliving past events and spoke to people as if they were in the room with them. But always, ever present was the pain.

She could watch it crest and fall by his heartbeat and breathing. At first he held out against it, but after a while lost the strength to fight anymore. She'd see his heartrate begin to rise and hear his breathing began to grow rapid and shallow and she knew another wracking bout of agony was upon him.

Tears would squeeze out between his tightly shut eyelids and would flow freely down her cheeks as well. His breath would come in shallow rasping groans, then when it peaked out, he would sometimes pass into merciful unconsciousness, and sometimes ride it out to the end, his groans constricting into soft cries, heartbreaking to hear. Eventually, it would ease again to a more bearable level, but was never entirely gone.

More than anything, she wanted to hold him through it, to bear it with him, but right then even her touch was another form of torture.

So she did what she could. She stood between him and the world. She kept everyone at bay. He would not want anyone to see him like this—truthfully, not even her. But that's where she drew the line.

She would not leave his side. Not for a moment. During those rare intervals when he knew she was with him, it brought him the comfort and reassurance he needed to get through this. So as night fell, she pulled her cot close to his and lay down, resting but never sleeping, always listening, always watching. And when he finally fell into an exhausted, restless sleep, she lay there beside him, ever alert for any change, her fingers just brushing the ends of his hair.

Outside, Jet made a quick walk around the village before turning in. The swamp made him nervous. Night in the swamp made him very nervous. So, he walked the perimeter before turning in, his hand always on his sword hilt, always at the ready.

At last he walked up the steps of the guest hut, pausing to pick a stray centimander from the door and replace it on the ground. He'd have liked to place it on Mai's bed, but didn't want the thing to come wandering over him in the night instead. He had to agree, they were kind of cute, but at the same time, their little feet were sticky and clammy. He rubbed the back of his neck to deaden the sense memory of his most recent encounter.

He opened the door of the hut to see that Aang and Katara had pushed their cots close to each other on the far side, making a little room to walk between cots. Mai had centered her cot equidistant between theirs and his. He just had room to sit down and pull off his boots. It was very quiet and he could hear regular breathing from Aang and Katara. He assumed they were asleep. Quietly, he unbuckled his sword belt and placed it beneath the cot in easy reach.

"Did you find anything out there?" Mai's voice asked softly in the dark.

"Just a centimander trying to get in," he replied as he lay back on the cot, causing it to creak beneath him.

"What are all those eyes glowing in the dark?" she asked, her voice equal parts curiosity and nervousness.

"Some are probably wolfbats, the others I don't know," Jet replied. "But we're safe in here, I think."

"You think?" she asked and he could hear a little laughter in her voice.

"Don't worry, Lady Mai," he said with a laugh of his own. "I'm armed." To reinforce the point, he pulled his dagger out of its sheath with a little silvery ring of metal.

"Don't worry, Jet," she said, rolling over on her side away from him and giving a yawn. "So am I."

He heard a muffled click of some kind, but she didn't say any more. Finally, her breathing settled down to a peaceful evenness, and Jet lay there on his back, his hands behind his head. At last, he too drifted into sleep.

But to sleep is to dream. And their dreams were interesting indeed.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Zuko's consciousness hovered in a hellish plane somewhere between nightmare, delirium, and unconsciousness. Red swirls of agony coursed through him and around him, noises from all sides pierced his ears, and even total darkness was not dark enough.

Images of the past blended seamlessly with nightmarish visions of the present. Toph was lost somewhere—calling to him helplessly in the dark—but he was held by lengths of vine that sent long poisonous thorns into his flesh and pulled at him until his joints popped.

Then his surroundings would slip off into other realities—realities where he was being lashed by a cruel cat o' nine tails on Admiral Zhao's ship or falling into the steaming waters of the Boiling Rock as the gondola fell, Azula's laughter echoing as his skin began to burn and peel away.

He saw his mother turn away from him in disappointment as his father scorched the flesh from his body. Then he was slipping into the heart of the volcano on Tuzai Island, the lava devouring him. Then everything grew dark, and he could hear Toph begging him to help her, begging him not to leave her, but he couldn't find her in the darkness.

When he finally managed to open his eyes to his true surroundings, part of him was aware that Toph was with him and was safe, but the pain was ever constant, almost alive in its intensity.

The conscious part of him wondered how much longer he could endure before breaking completely; then wondered if perhaps he'd already broken. His throat was raw—had he been screaming? His face was wet—were they tears?

Then as horrible as it was already, the pain began to get worse. No longer aware of his surroundings, he tried to just breathe with the torment, to take it into himself and own it, robbing it of its power. But every breath sent shards of glass into his chest, even the air against his skin was acid burning away his flesh.

He knew he was probably crying out like a child, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. He wondered how long it would take him to die.

Then the pain began to distance itself from him, slowly at first, then more rapidly, as if it were falling away like a cloak. He began to float, almost bodiless, leaving the physical world behind.

As if waking from a terrible dream, Zuko found himself lying in the middle of a garden of green. The red haze began to fade away and he became aware that the spirit Lian Shen sat beside him, her beauty and gentleness radiating around him.

The grass was cool and soft against his skin, and her fingertips grazed his temples and forehead with a healing touch as she spoke to him in a low, soothing voice. He couldn't make out her words, but somehow he began to feel better. The wracking pain began to ease, and he slipped into a deep, real sleep.

At his side, Toph heard his breath go from ragged and strained to even and smooth and she knew the worst of it was over.

"Lian Shen," Zuko whispered and his hand moved as if he were reaching for someone.

A stab of jealousy ran through Toph, but it was quickly replaced with gratitude. Lian Shen might be an annoying diva, but if she were able to help Zuko get better, Toph could afford to be generous with her—to a point.

Meanwhile in the guest hut, Aang's dreams were filled with visions of the past. Past kings and queens of Omashu filed by him, each asking him the same question: "Who will hear the voice of the earth? For its voice is patience and respect for living things. Tell us, avatar, who will hear the earth speak?"

Bumi himself came to him as he appeared many years ago, a young man embarking on a journey of self-discovery, a journey which led him into the swamp.

"Aang!" the young Bumi called to him. "You're back! I thought you were dead!" They met there in a tangle of vines and trees, clasping forearms, then exchanging a warm embrace.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Bumi?" Aang asked. The wild-haired boy of his childhood and the crazy old king he knew most recently were combined somehow in this adult version of Bumi, one he never knew.

"What have you been up to, Aang?" Bumi asked curiously. "I miss our days of running wild through the city."

"It's a pretty long story," Aang replied. "What about you? What brings you to the swamp?"

Bumi looked off into the distance as if trying to come up with the words to explain. "I met this woman, Aang. I think it was in the spirit world. She said I would be king of Omashu, can you believe that?" Bumi turned back to look at him directly. "I'm a nobody. How can I be king?"

"I think you'll make a very good king, old buddy," Aang replied. Then the dream began to fade away, and on his cot in the hut, Aang turned over once and began to dream about Momo.

At his side, Katara tossed restlessly, calling out to her mother. Then just as suddenly, she was quiet again.

Jet lay awake, listening to the sounds of the others in the hut as they tried to sleep. He understood what they were going through. He tried to go back to sleep himself, but at his side Mai suddenly sat up, her eyes wide.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

She was breathing hard, her eyes darting about the room restlessly as if she were looking for someone.

"Where's Tom-Tom?" she asked. "Who has the baby?"

"It's okay, Mai," Jet answered calmly, reaching out to pat her on the shoulder. "It was just a dream."

To his surprise, she burst into tears and pressed her face into her hands. For a second he was at a loss as to what to do, then his better nature took over and he reached out to put his arms around her.

But her tears didn't last long at all, and she looked up at him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm okay," she said. "Thank you." Then she eased herself away from him and lay back down, turning to face the other way. Soon, her breathing let him know that she was asleep again.

But he was irrevocably awake. So he quietly gathered his boots and swordbelt and headed out the door and into the night. At that moment, whatever creatures that lurked in the darkness were far preferable to the creatures that lurked in his dreams. He had to get out of this swamp.

He sat on the step to pull on his boots and looked up in time to see Toph open the door of the healer's hut. He walked quietly across the grass toward her.

"How's he doing?" Jet asked quietly.

To his surprise, Toph jumped as if stung, throwing one hand to her chest, completely startled. "It's me, Jet," he explained. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

Toph reached out to take his arm, partially for comfort, partially to get a better look at him. "It's okay," she said breathlessly. "I just can't see anything in this stupid wet mess. Where's the water? I need to refill the jug," she said, holding up a large gourd container.

He took the gourd jug from her hand and walked over to refill it from the clear stream that ran past the village. "So is Zuko any better?" he asked.

"He seems to be," Toph answered, genuine relief in her voice. "He's resting now—really resting."

Jet carried the water jug back to the hut for her. "Then why don't you get a little rest too?" he suggested. "I'll stay with him for you. I can't sleep anyway."

A warm, damp wind blew lightly through the trees. Above them, small creatures called to each other in the darkness. Toph shivered a little and reached out to feel for the door. Jet stepped up and opened it for her, and she took the water jug from his arms and went inside.

"Thank you, but I'm going to stay here," she said softly. "Good night."

Jet could make out Zuko's sleeping form on the cot inside and watched as Toph quietly placed the jug on a table, then carefully adjusted the light coverlet across him, her face reflecting her concern and her love.

She came back and placed her hand on the door. "Good night, Jet," she whispered. He could see the dark circles under her eyes. She looked completely drawn and exhausted. He remembered that it hadn't been that long since she'd been so sick herself and could tell by looking at her that if she didn't rest soon, she'd be putting herself at risk.

"Let me know if you need anything," he offered gently. "Try to rest now that he's resting." She nodded with a little smile, then eased the door closed.

Jet stood there alone in the darkness for a second, then wandered back over to the firepit, the embers barely glowing. He squatted down beside it, tossing on another log, more for light and company than heat. Dawn was still hours away.

He leaned back against a large log and watched the flames burn, his sword pulled across his lap in readiness. The air was cool, and the night sounds were less menacing than usual. Soon, despite his best intentions, his eyes drifted shut and he began to dream.

His dream was very much like the other dreams he'd had of her, except this time he held Mai in his arms. The exotic scent of her perfume drifted from her dark silky hair where it brushed against his neck. He could feel her breasts rise and fall against him with her breath.

His hand was at the small of her back. She fit so well against him, her body curving into his. Then she looked up at him, her eyes shining, her lips red and soft. He could feel his muscles tense in anticipation as he bent his lips to hers. The taste of her was like expensive wine, heady and intense.

The kiss consumed him.

At last he pulled away from the intoxication to look in her eyes, aware that he was at her mercy. Then she began to laugh at him, a mocking laugh, a laugh that said she knew what he was—nothing. A refugee, a mercenary, a bandit, a killer.

Jet woke with a start, her laughter ringing in his ears.

All around him was darkness and quiet, with only the crackle of the flames and the sound of the wind sighing through the vines in the trees.

He didn't sleep any more that night.

Back in the healer's hut, Toph tried to rest. Part of her had collapsed in relief that her Zuko was no longer in such awful misery, but another part held back from thinking he was completely out of the woods—literally.

She knew Lian Shen had done something to help him—she knew that she now owed the swamp spirit for her husband's healing. But she wasn't sure what the spirit would want in return.

A king for Omashu was already a given. But what now? Would Lian Shen claim a piece of her husband's heart for her own? How could anyone deny a spirit what she wanted? What kind of charm could she lay on him that he would be powerless to resist?

Toph had seen enough of Lian Shen, she reasoned, to believe there was nothing that oversexed green witch wouldn't do. She'd also seen the look in her eyes as she'd talked with Zuko, the way she'd casually found an excuse to touch him.

Toph looked over at her husband, taking him in with all her senses. In a mushy wet world almost completely free of bendables, he was her constant. She could see him there, his hair falling across his forehead where he'd rolled onto his side, truly sleeping at last.

She could see the long line on his thigh where Katara's healing waters had closed up the terrible incision they'd made to save him. She could see the rise and fall of his chest as he slept, peacefully.

She could see the tracks on his cheeks made by the tears that had poured from his eyes during the worst of it, the salt crystallizing on his skin in patterns both beautiful and heartbreaking to behold. She lay down on the cot beside him, her hand once again only grazing the ends of his hair for fear her touch would disturb him.

Lian Shen was welcome to help her husband, Toph thought to herself, and she was grateful. But there was a line the spirit would cross only at her peril. As she slipped into the only dreamless sleep of the night, Toph entertained herself by imagining ways to earthbend a spirit into a variety of small containers.

Mai, in the meantime, had drifted away from her nightmare about Tom Tom into a more restful sleep. She was back home in Omashu. She stood on the balcony of her apartment in the bright sunshine and looked down into the stone courtyard below.

A tall, darkhaired man dressed in a green sleeveless tunic and breeches worked out with sword and dagger against an opponent in red wielding twin curved broadswords. They circled and fought, metal clanging against metal, evenly matched.

The two men laughed as they fought, challenging and taunting each other. Mai found herself leaning forward in excitement, drawn into the intensity of the swordplay. Her heartrate picked up a little with each parry and thrust, each narrow escape, each clever attempt to score a touch on the other.

The man in red she soon recognized as Zuko, but the man in green's identity was hidden from her. She began to watch him more closely, studying his style, his bearing. It seemed so haphazard, a sloppy mix of techniques and styles. But the longer she watched, the more she realized that though his style of swordplay was unorthodox, it was devastatingly effective.

Just as Zuko seemed about to take an opening, the opening would close, but never in a way she recognized as conventional. The man's attacks likewise came from a wide variety of stances and styles. Zuko couldn't pin him down and sometimes only barely avoided the tip of that strange dark sword.

She watched as the muscles in the man's arms and shoulders tensed and relaxed with every stroke and parry, as he lightly traveled the dusty courtyard, his steps quick and sure. She found herself delighting in every movement, longing for the moment when the exercise was complete and she could run to him as she had done so many times before, could feel those strong arms around her once again.

Suddenly a small child darted across the courtyard toward them, just as Zuko lunged into a thrust. The man in green sidestepped, but the child tangled in his legs, slowing him just long enough for the tip of the curved blade to snag his side. Blood began to pour from the jagged wound that suddenly opened.

In her dream, she was terrified and ran down the balcony steps to the grounds, her heart pounding, sobs tearing themselves from her lungs. She ran to the side of the man in green where he somehow remained on his feet, his hand pressed against the savage wound. Blood flowed red against the gray of the courtyard.

She reached him and looked into his face, tears of terror streaming from her eyes. It was Jet. She threw her arms around him as his knees began to buckle. He sank to the ground, his breath catching in his chest.

She knelt beside him as he looked up at her, an important message in his dark emerald green eyes. "Mai," he whispered, reaching up to her face. Tears poured freely from her eyes as she looked down at him. Then despite her repeated pleas for him to stay with her, Mai watched as his eyes grew dark and he died.

Back in the guest hut, her eyes flew open as a cry wrenched free from her chest. Then as quickly as it had come, the dream went, leaving only a hazy mark in her memory and she slept again.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The rising sun found the little group huddled around the fire as one by one they'd given up trying to sleep and had come outside. Toph and Zuko were the only ones still sleeping as Katara found when she went to check on them.

Once Katara was satisfied that Zuko was truly resting and that Toph had settled in peacefully as well, she walked back outside in the morning mist to where Aang sat next to Mai at the firepit. She looked around for Jet, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Have you seen Jet this morning?" Katara asked.

"I think he's gone to check on the treegeckos," Aang replied. "He's really ready to get out of here."

"So am I," Katara said with a shiver, rubbing her upper arms and glancing about nervously. "I didn't sleep well at all."

"Neither did I," Mai admitted softly. "I had terrible dreams. I don't really remember what they were about though." She looked up as Jet approached the group, her heart leaping oddly at the sight of him. Had she dreamed about Jet?

He looked back at her, his eyes meeting hers intensely for a second, then glancing away again. "The treegeckos are saddled and ready to go," he announced.

"Where are you going?" Aang asked. "I thought you were just going to check on them." The young airbender stood and walked over to where Jet stood at a little distance from the fire.

"I have a job to do," Jet replied, then he looked over at Mai with a slight bow. "Lady Mai, I am ready to go after your brother if that is what you still want me to do. Otherwise, I am ready to escort you back to Omashu. If you aren't ready to leave yet, I'll return your money to Tiandu as soon as I get back to the city. But I am not staying in this place another night."

He looked over toward Aang and Katara. "If there is someone you want me to inform about your whereabouts, I'll be happy to do so. If there is anything I can do to get help for Prince Zuko and Princess Toph, I'll be happy to do that as well."

"When do you plan to leave?" Mai asked, rising to walk closer to him.

"Before noon," Jet replied. "Bo says if we follow the stream, we'll come to the edge of the swamp before dark. It's not the safest place to exit though. We'll come out in an area known for bandit hideouts."

"And you're willing to risk that just to get out of here?" Aang couldn't help but ask.

"I'd rather take my chances with bandits than spend another night in this place," Jet said seriously. Aang looked at him closely and could see the tiredness in his eyes. "I've waited for Bo as long as I'm willing to wait. Now it's time to make a decision—forward or back—but I won't stay here."

"If you go, I'm going with you," Mai spoke up firmly. "We'll head back to Omashu. If Tom Tom still wants to visit, once things have settled back down in the city maybe Aang will be willing to fly up to get him on Appa. That would make my little brother's entire year." Aang nodded in agreement and the two went to pack up their belongings for the trip.

An hour later, Toph met them outside by the fire to have a bite of breakfast.

"He's sleeping comfortably," she offered immediately as she approached, forestalling the questions about Zuko's condition. "I'm guessing he'll sleep most of the day, considering all he's been through." Her voice sounded tired, but relieved.

They ate in near silence, everyone preoccupied with their own thoughts. Then Toph rose to go back to the healer's hut, Katara following. "I'm just going to look in on him," she said to Aang. "I want to be sure that incision is healing well and that he's as comfortable as we can make him."

A few minutes later, Katara was back at the fire. "He seems much better," she said. "He hasn't woken up yet, but that doesn't surprise me. Maybe he'll wake up sometime around noon. It would be good for him to eat something."

At Katara's assurance that Zuko was out of danger, Jet and Mai loaded their packs and bedrolls onto the two large treegeckos and set off down the stream.

"You ride well," Jet offered as a conversation opener. "I guess this isn't your first time on a gecko."

"I've spent plenty of time on something very similar," Mai replied. "These do handle different types of terrain better though," she added as her gecko easily scaled a leaning tree trunk.

"They'll even go upside down," Jet warned. "Be sure to keep your harness straps tight. I nearly fell out of the saddle thirty feet up a tree my first trip out here."

She laughed at that and they rode on in silence for a good while. Then she asked, "What school of swordplay do you follow?"

Jet looked over at her. "Why do you ask?" he responded curiously.

"Well, you're from the Earth Kingdom, but your sword and dagger are both Fire Nation design," she began.

Jet looked down at the hilts of his weapons in surprise. Then he mentally kicked himself. He should have already guessed that his red and gold dagger had probably once belonged to a Fire Nation officer before he lifted it from the bandit who'd had it before him.

He ran his finger across the golden crystal in the hilt. How ironic that the weapon he'd grown to love and depend on had come from his greatest enemies—the people he'd spent most of his life fighting.

As for his fighting style—he didn't really have anything to say, so he just shrugged.

However, Mai was curious—really curious now. Something nagged at the back of her mind about her line of questioning, but she ignored it and kept pushing. "Not many in the Fire Nation use sword and dagger. A few use twin swords like Zuko, but most use a single blade. I was just wondering where your style came from," she answered.

How could he answer? The truth was, he had no style. All he had was a handful of self-taught maneuvers and bits and pieces of technique gleaned from battle—sometimes learned from a man trying to kill him. Defending himself against a new attack was a good way to learn it, he'd discovered. However, experience was a harsh teacher and he had the scars to prove it.

Jet thought of lying to her—the truth was just a bit demoralizing. Sure he was alive and could handle himself in a fight, but compared to a classically trained swordsman like Zuko, he was a complete amateur.

However, a deeper part of him just wouldn't allow him the pretense. He had to come clean, however uncomfortable it was. Besides, it wasn't like he wanted to impress her or anything. He'd just look like a fool if he tried.

"I just picked things up here and there," he replied at last. "I'm no swordsman. I just try to stay alive."

"That's every swordsman's goal," Mai said with a smile as she swayed back and forth. "So I guess that makes you a swordsman." Then she urged her treegecko ahead of him on the trail, its tail twitching behind it.

Jet followed, deep in thought. He watched her body sway with the gecko's peculiar twisting gait. Her hair was pulled up simply but elegantly leaving only a single tendril of dark hair to swing hypnotically back and forth across her back.

Maybe the ride wouldn't be as boring as he'd feared.

The morning passed in the village as Toph waited and watched for Zuko to show some sign that he was ready to come out of the twilight land of sleep. Noon came and went with only his regular deep breathing to let her know he was still with her.

Though very worried that her touch might trigger the awful pain of the night before, she finally gathered her resolve enough to reach out to brush the hair away from his forehead. When he didn't stir, she reached out to stroke his cheek with the back of her fingers and was alarmed by the heat in his skin.

Just at that moment, Dei Zi came in with a basket full of clean towels and a fresh jug of water.

"He's burning up!" Toph announced. "What's wrong with him?"

Dei Zi went over and unceremoniously raised one of Zuko's eyelids to peer into his eye. Then she looked over the incision and checked his leg for signs of swelling or redness. "We'll get that Katara girl to come check him over again, but I don't think it's infection that's got him. I think its the swamp fever—same as you had."

"Is it contagious?" Toph asked worriedly. "Did I give it to him?"

"Goodness no, child," Dei Zi said with a laugh. "Swamp fever comes over a body when the swamp wants to talk to 'em. Don't worry about it. When the swamp's done with your young man, he'll come out of it." Then Dei Zi picked up a stack of dirty linens from the night before and muttered under her breath, "Now whether he'll be right in the head afterwards is another matter."

Toph was out the door in a flash, calling for Aang. She nearly ran into him in her haste as he walked down the steps of the guest hut. "How can I get into the spirit world?" she asked furiously. "That green witch won't know what hit her!"

"Slow down," Aang said calmly. "What green witch? What are you talking about?"

"Lian Shen," Toph fairly spat the words. "She's got Zuko. I really appreciate her helping him get better and all, but she can't keep him, Aang. Zuko is my husband and I just need a few minutes back in the spirit world with a couple of large rocks to get him out of there again."

Katara came up to stand beside her, healing water at the ready. Toph was truly beside herself with fury. "Let's head back to Dei Zi's hut and see what's going on, okay?" she suggested softly, taking Toph carefully by the arm.

"Don't you try to guide me, Katara!" Toph snapped, jerking her arm out of Katara's light grasp. Then she took a deep breath. She knew her friend was just trying to help, so she led them back toward the hut and tried to explain more calmly.

"I know exactly what's going on," Toph began as they entered the hut. Zuko hadn't moved a muscle. "I spent several hours in the spirit world yesterday, and I had a nice long talk with that oversexed hussy. She brought Zuko to her as well and I saw how she looked at him. Now she's got him back there and she probably plans to keep him."

"Toph, how do you know you didn't dream all that? Dei Zi said you were pretty sick yourself," Katara asked solicitously.

"All right, Sugar Queen," Toph replied in annoyance, "Lian Shen said I was pregnant. Am I?"

Katara gave her a long look, then pulled the water from her waterskin and formed a globe over Toph's belly. She concentrated very hard for several seconds, then flashed Toph a huge smile. "Yes, you're pregnant!" Then she frowned a little. "But its so early I almost couldn't see the changes. There's no way you could know this already."

"I told you, Katara," Toph replied with impatience. "Lian Shen told me. She's the spirit of the swamp. She told me I had to be queen of Omashu, but I said I already had plans, then she wanted to meet Zuko and she brought him to her, then she felt him up a little and told him he could come see her anytime and she sent him back to say hi to Iroh and then she sent me back to find a new king," Toph paused in her summary long enough to take a breath, then looked at Aang.

"Aang, you're the avatar and Zuko's friend and my friend," she said, reaching out to take him by the arms. "Go get my husband," she finished firmly, then added a soft, "Please?"

Aang glanced at Katara who added, "The fever's not doing him any good. He needs to wake up and get some water and food into his system."

Aang nodded, then slipped into that higher state of being called the avatar state. Toph and Katara watched as his eyes and tattoos began to glow an unreal blue. Then he stepped forward, placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder, and closed his eyes.

Out on the trail, Jet and Mai had stopped long enough for a quick bite to eat and to refill their waterskins from the cool, clear stream they followed. As Mai repacked the provisions, Jet walked down the trail several steps to scout their direction. What he saw ahead filled him with dismay.

Ahead of them lay distinct signs of a hidden camp—he'd lived in hidden camps most of his life. He knew what they looked like.

He listened carefully for several seconds and became aware of unusual calls in the woods—calls of birds that didn't belong in the swamp. Signals were being passed, most likely ambush signals.

He walked back to the geckos, quickly formulating a plan. If they knew who she was, they'd kill him and take her for ransom. Tell-tale signs at the camp pointed toward maybe ten in the gang. They must be pretty desperate to actually brave the edge of the swamp for a hideout. That wasn't good.

Jet put a swagger in his step, confident they were already being watched. "Ready to go, hot stuff?" he asked loudly as he stepped up behind Mai and planted a big kiss on her neck—using her moment of stunned surprise to murmur, "We're in danger. Play along."

"Yeah," she gamely replied. Then she turned to him, a hint of question in her eyes. "But we don't have to rush," she offered seductively, then pulled him close to her, close enough to whisper, "What's going on?"

He kissed her throat again as he answered, "Bandits. Ambush in the trees. Maybe ten."

Mai threw her head back, her eyes half shut in apparent ecstasy as he worked his way down her neck and across her shoulder. Then she pulled his head close and nibbled at his ear while replying, "I count twelve. Archers."

He pulled away from her again, partially to try to get a look for himself, partially because her touch was driving him crazy. "Let me handle it, okay?" he said quietly as he planted one more kiss on her cheek.

"Sugar, I think we've got company!" he called merrily to the trees. "Hey, Gan buddy, is that you up there?" He shaded his eyes with one hand as he peered up into the trees. Gan Zhuang was the leader of a particularly notorious gang in those parts. The last he heard, Gan had been arrested just before he left Omashu. Jet sure hoped Gan was still in jail, otherwise his bluff was going to be called fast.

"No Gans up here, buddy," a voice called back sarcastically. "Drop your swordbelt."

"Very funny, Gan," Jet called, one arm casually draped around Mai's shoulder. "Come on down here and let's talk business. I've got our way in."

"I told you to drop your swordbelt," the voice said menacingly. Jet could hear the tell-tale creak of a bow being drawn.

"I guess it's not Gan after all, sugar," Jet addressed Mai with a little nervous laugh as he unbuckled his swordbelt and placed his sword and dagger about four feet on the ground in front of him.

Then he went back to stand next to Mai. He wasn't sure how well she'd handle it should things get out of hand. He hoped he'd be able to toss her onto the nearest gecko and send it scampering if need be.

But she didn't seem at all nervous. He was glad of that as twelve men—she'd counted well, he thought—slipped down out of the trees to surround them, arrows nocked at the ready.

"Listen, buddy," Jet began, holding out his hands as if to reassure the men. "I'm supposed to met Gan Zhuang's bunch on the edge of the swamp. He'll be pretty hot if I don't show up."

"Gan Zhuang's in prison," a tall rough-looking man replied. Jet recognized the voice. This must be the leader. He took in the man's worn clothing and short sword, the perfect weapon for close quarters fighting. He was powerfully built with a cleanshaven head and a long jagged scar running down the side of his face.

"In prison?" Jet wailed in disappointment, turning to Mai. "We're screwed then. There's no way to pull the job without Gan!"

"What job?" the leader asked.

"We've got it all set up to pull a job in Omashu," Jet began. "Hot stuff here is our ticket in. But it's going to take manpower—manpower we don't have since Gan is in jail!" he finished, his voice whiny with frustration.

Mai listened in awe. She had no idea Jet was such an actor. She also had no idea what angle he was working, but she was highly amused and ready to play it his way. At least his way was interesting.

"Sugar," Jet turned to her, "how long before they get suspicious?"

"Not long," she answered, hoping that was the right thing to say.

Apparently it was because he gave her a little grin. "So we've got a couple of days at the most, huh?" She nodded.

"Listen, guys," Jet began to work a sales pitch like she'd never heard before. "We're clearly in the same line of work, right? So, let's not fight amongst ourselves. I mean, you guys are clearly professionals or there's no way you'd have stung me—I've been around, you know."

Then he walked toward the leader, his hand outstretched harmlessly before him. "The name's Jing. This here is Meimei," he jerked a thumb back at Mai.

The leader sneered at his outstretched hand like it was a ratweasel. So Jet pulled it back with a show of self-consciousness and continued, "Meimei here is our ticket in—into the Fire Nation representative's private apartments. Her sister is the rep's maid—what's her name again, sugar?" he asked innocently.

"Jun," she answered evenly, slowly becoming aware of where he was going with this.

"Meimei here goes right in, bold as brass, and opens the back door for us while everyone's asleep. We subdue the guard and clean the place out," Jet finished with a proud laugh. "You won't believe the stuff that woman has piled up in there—treasures galore! Isn't that right, sugar?"

Mai nodded, but could immediately see a massive flaw in Jet's strategy. There was no way to get to the residential complex without passing through a private gate, watched by an armed guard twenty-four hours a day. She hoped the bandit crew didn't know about this.

"Getting in the apartment isn't a big deal at all," the leader scoffed. "How are you going to get a group of fourteen through the main gate in the first place?" Mai's heart sank. They knew.

With a grin, Jet pulled out an elaborate red and gold seal from his inside vest pocket. "I've got a ticket in, my friends," he said slyly.

Mai looked at the seal, her eyes wide. Silently, she readied a knife in the holster hidden up her sleeves. If Jet didn't put that thing away fast, it would be the last thing those bandits would ever see.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Mai watched as Jet flashed the seal before the bandit's eyes. Tiandu must have given it to him to get into the compound in Ba Sing Se. Tiandu didn't hand out the seal lightly, so he must have felt confident that Jet was trustworthy.

But now Jet had shown it to a group of common bandits—bandits who could kill them, take the seal and use it to get in to any Fire Nation complex in the Earth Kingdom.

The minute she got her chance, she would destroy that seal so it could not be used by these criminals to target her household or her family's. Then she would beat Jet to death for showing it so casually.

The bandit leader held out his hand, but Jet quickly stowed the seal in his vest pocket again. Mai relaxed her grip on her knife. Apparently Jet knew what he had. She was glad to see that he kept it moving fast enough that the bandit couldn't read the coded inscription. At least he hadn't seen it well enough to counterfeit it.

"Give it here," the leader demanded, his hand still outstretched.

"Not a chance," Jet replied. "And before you think of just killing me and taking it for yourselves, you need to know one thing. This seal is keyed to a particular workman's shop. You'll have to identify the shop correctly to get in with your wagon load of 'workmen' here. If you kill me, you'll never know which shop to name."

The leader then looked at Mai. "And don't even think about asking her," Jet interjected with a laugh. "She doesn't know anything about the rest of the job. That's part of what keeps us and her safe—if you know what I mean. All she's got to do is forget to lock a door one night, then slip out to meet me two days later so we can make our escape to Whaletail Island—loaded down with treasure—right, sugar?" he asked, planting another kiss on her cheek, while simultaneously giving her shoulders a companionable squeeze.

"So, whaddya think?" Jet asked casually. "Have we got a deal or have we got a deal? Split 50/50—my gang/your gang?"

"Just how many is in your gang?" the bandit asked, doing quick calculations in his head.

"Okay, okay," Jet backed down, "I was going to go 60/40 with Gan. I'll do the same for you."

The bandit looked back at another man who stood further back, a small man with a black eyepatch over one eye. The man gave a little nod. There's the real leader, Jet surmised. Good information to have. "Deal," the big man said, finally holding out his hand to shake Jet's. "The name's Li."

"Funny how I keep running into Li's," Jet said under his breath as he gave Mai another little squeeze around the shoulders.

Aang opened his eyes in the spirit world, aware that he was standing in the middle of a garden.

"Avatar!" a rich woman's voice called to him sweetly. He turned to see a beautiful woman sitting on a soft hillock of grass, Zuko lying next to her, his head in her lap. She stroked his hair absently with her green fingers. "Zuko, darling, we have company," she murmured musically into his ear. He shifted a little, but didn't wake. "Avatar, please, come join us. I apologize for our Prince Zuko. He's been a bit under the weather lately. I don't want to disturb him."

Aang stepped forward to sit on a nearby moss-covered log. The moss felt like silk beneath his hand. "Nice place you have here, Lady Lian Shen," he said, glancing about. Zuko appeared to be fine, if sleepy.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" she replied, casting about a glance of her own. "It could use a little more color though, now that we have special company." She waved her hand idly, and a myriad of tiny flowers began to bloom colorfully in the grass around them. Large, exotic vines began to drape themselves from the trees, unfurling spectacular flowers whose scents made Aang's head begin to swim.

"Isn't that better?" she asked, her melodious voice wrapping around him like strands of soft candy.

"Yes," he heard himself answer, aware that he was slipping into some kind of altered state. Was it the flowers? Was it her voice? Was it her beautiful tawny eyes, the color of a rich sunset? Was it the deep red of her hair, like strands of spun copper? Was it the exotic shade of her skin, the color of new leaves on a spring morning? Aang gradually became aware that he was drooling just a little.

He shook himself back into the clarity of the avatar state. "My Lady Lian Shen," he began in a chastening voice, "shame on you. Working your wiles on the avatar himself!"

She laughed with a sound of tinkling bells. "I had to try, Avatar Aang," she replied. "You'd be such a wonderful addition to my garden, you know. Just like this beautiful prince. I wish I'd never let his uncle leave so many many years ago," she sighed. "But these poor humans are so fragile. I can't keep them forever you know."

"No indeed," Aang said seriously. "The longer they stay, the more disturbed they become, isn't that right?"

"Yes, sadly enough," she said petulantly. "That's why my lovely princeling is asleep. Besides, when he's awake, he just asks to go home. It does get a bit annoying." Then she stroked his face, running her delicate fingertip across his eyebrows, down his cheek to his mouth and across his lips.

"But he's such a treat, I hate to let him go," she complained. "It gets so lonely here sometimes. There's nobody around but the mountain spirit and he's become such a bore over the past thousand years." Lian Shen looked up at Aang pitifully. "I just want company, you know."

"I know, my lady," Aang replied sympathetically. "But humans aren't good company, are they? They lose their minds if they're awake and they're no fun if they're asleep."

"They're a little fun when they're asleep," Lian Shen said in a teasing voice. "I can listen to his dreams. This one has been dreaming a great deal about his mother. It's so sweet but so sad." She ran her fingers through Zuko's hair, half closing her eyes in concentration.

Then she looked back up at Aang brightly. "I like to listen in on human dreams. They're so revealing. I can even make their dreams more interesting, more dramatic."

Aang gave her a reproachful look. "Don't go manipulating our dreams just to listen in on our troubles," he said sternly. "That's not very polite."

"Oh, all right, Avatar Aang," she conceded. "If you say so." Then she sighed again. "I suppose I'll have to let this one go now, won't I?"

"I think that's a good idea," Aang said, relieved that things were going so well.

Then she darted a hard look at him. "But if I keep him with me, that awful Toph girl will work harder to find a king for Omashu to get him back again."

"It's not ladylike to hold hostages," Aang reminded her. "Besides, Toph takes her job very seriously. She will find you a suitable king—one who listens to the voice of the earth, one who understands neutral jing, one who thinks before acting. She'll find the swamp a good protector."

Then Aang stood and gestured toward Zuko.

She sighed and spoke softly in Zuko's ear. He stirred and sat up then stood, looking around in confusion. She reached up one delicate hand, and he automatically helped her to her feet.

"Give us a kiss, darling," she commanded easily, putting her arms around his neck, "then you must be on your way—back to the mundane world below."

Zuko blinked a few times as if to clear his head, then leaned in to kiss her cheek. Lian Shen turned her head so the kiss fell on her lips instead. "Go home, Prince Zuko," she sighed, stroking his cheek one last time. Then with another slight wave of her hand, he was gone.

She shot a dark look at Aang. "Avatar, you are no fun at all anymore," she snapped. "I liked your past lives much better—you were less preachy."

Aang gave her a beatific smile and polite bow. "Well, my lady, I have one more piece of advice for you. I believe you should get out more. Go visit someone other than the mountain spirit. The moon spirit is a very sweet girl. You should get to know her," he suggested. "You've spent a little too much time in neutral jing yourself. You should do like Jet—take action."

"Jet?" the spirit asked curiously. "The young man with all those terrible dreams about battle and death?"

Aang reprimanded himself strongly for mentioning his name. The last thing Jet needed was to fall into the spirit world to be entertainment for Lian Shen.

"Yes, but he's out of the swamp by now, my lady," Aang tried to deter her from pursuing the topic.

She half closed her eyes again. "No, he's still in the swamp with that Mai girl," she began. "There are several others from the outside there as well. How interesting. I'll have to listen to that young man more closely while he's here."

"You say there are others with him?" Aang asked, suddenly concerned. "Who are they? Can you tell anything about them?"

Lian Shen listened carefully. "This isn't easy, avatar. Thoughts are much harder to hear than dreams, you know," she replied after a moment. "But the others don't seem very nice. I think they plan to do harm to our Jet."

"You might want to--" she began, but when she looked up Aang was already gone. "How rude!" she exclaimed. Then she sat down again with a sigh. "I hope the next avatar learns better manners."

Jet had realized just moments before that his cleverly laid plan was rapidly going awry. He was so proud of the way he'd managed to con the group into accepting them rather than killing them, only to find that one of the gang members had a cousin in the residential guard—a cousin who might accept a bribe to determine the code on a certain pass seal. A code which didn't even exist until he made it up.

Now, he found himself surrounded by armed men, bows at the ready. "Come on, guys," Jet began placatingly. "That's not the way to treat a partner."

"Maybe we don't need a partner," Li replied roughly. "All we need is that seal and your pretty girlfriend."

"I won't help you if you hurt him," Mai stated firmly. "And you'll never get into the apartments without me."

"You'll help us, hot stuff," Li sneered. "Isn't that what he calls you? By the time we're done with you, you'll be begging to help us."

Jet felt sick to his stomach. There had to be a way out of this. He absolutely couldn't let Mai fall into their hands. But how in the world was he going to get close enough to any of them to grab a weapon without becoming a pincushion first?

Mai stepped in front of Jet, shielding him with her body. He heard a muffled click. "I can't help you if you kill me, now can I?" she asked coolly as she slowly backed them toward a nearby tree.

Good, Jet thought, get us closer to some cover. Unfortunately, the bandits knew exactly what she was doing. "Stop right there, missie," Li said. "Not another step."

"Fine," she answered calmly. "I can take it from here."

A snap of her wrists sent a dozen razor sharp blades slicing through the air toward their intended targets. She didn't have a clear shot on all of them, so only about eight managed to hit any part of the men standing around them. However, just as she'd hoped, the surprise of the attack itself was enough to break up the ring of archers.

They were poorly trained, Mai thought. Only three even managed to release their arrows and all three went far wide of the mark—one even hitting one of their own men across the clearing, burying itself in his thigh and taking him down out of the fight to roll on the ground in agony.

Of her spring-fired blades, five had caused enough damage to send the bandits to the ground, leaving the rest running about a bit aimlessly. She targeted the small man with the eye patch, the apparent true leader of the group.

He stood his ground, sighting her with an arrow. Without hesitation, she sent a small dagger flying through the air to pierce his shoulder. She was out of practice, she thought grimly. She'd been aiming for his heart.

Li, on the other hand, ran for cover, dropping his bow as he went. At her side, Jet had already leaped into action, springing to tackle one of the running men, knocking him senseless with a hard punch to the jaw and taking the sword from his belt. A single leap then brought Jet to Li's hiding place where he dropped the cowering man with a single blow of the sword hilt. Interesting that he hadn't just run him through, Mai thought.

She turned her attention to the other men, hurling an assortment of small daggers at them and pinning them in various legs and arms, sending them to the ground wounded, but not mortally so.

A few minutes later, the group of bandits lay groaning in a heap, Jet's dark sword tip at their chins having been enough to make them crawl unarmed into a pile. Out of the group, the only one that worried Mai was the leader, who fixed them with a malevolent stare. Li was just a thug; this man was a murderer. She could see it in his eye.

Jet apparently could see it as well. "We've got no quarrel with you," he said firmly to the small man. "I don't even know your name and you don't know mine. Let's let bygones be bygones. You'll all heal and we'll just forget this ever happened, okay?"

The man only stared at him coldly. Jet turned and took a step toward where Mai stood with the treegeckos. Then the man said something under his breath, something only Jet could hear, something that made Jet's face turn hard and cold.

With a speed that surprised her, Jet leaped at the man, pinning him to the ground with a knee to the chest. Then the young mercenary addressed the man in a harsh whisper, his dagger's bright silver point just piercing into the soft flesh below the man's ear. A bright trail of blood ran down his neck and onto the ground.

Then Jet pushed himself away from the man and walked away from him without a backwards look. Mai could tell that the small man was afraid as he coughed and wiped the blood from his neck with a shaking hand.

Jet walked back to the treegeckos, pausing long enough to wipe his blade before resheathing it with a cold hiss of metal. She started to ask him what the man had said, but something about the look in Jet's eye gave her pause.

"Let's get out of here," he said savagely as they mounted their geckos and headed away from the bandit camp at top speed.

Back in the village Aang practically roared in frustration. What good was it to be the avatar and have access to the avatar state when it wouldn't lead him to a single lost couple in a swamp? Just as he'd done with Toph and Zuko, he knelt and searched for any sign of the lost pair with no success.

Finally he resorted to going back to Lian Shen.

"They're fine," she assured him. "In fact, they're on their way back to you now."

"So they decided to come back to the village?" Aang asked.

"Yes, they're on their way back to the village," Lian Shen assured him. If something in her tone of voice didn't sit well with him, there was little he could do about it.

In the end, he had to content himself with returning to the human world to check on Zuko.

"How's he doing?" Aang asked as he entered the healer's hut.

"Terrible," came Zuko's hoarse answer. "I feel like I've been run over by angry komodorhinos."

Toph's wide smile let Aang know that he was doing much better.

Aang and Katara left the hut after a few minutes to let Zuko continue to rest. "How is he really?" Aang asked.

"Well," Katara began slowly, "he's definitely on the mend, I'd say, but he's still very weak. The toxins have to finish metabolizing in his system. He needs lots of rest and plenty of fluids for the next several days according to Dei Zi. If he pushes too hard, too fast, he'll just end up in the same shape he was in last night."

"So that means we're stuck here a while longer," Aang surmised grimly.

Katara looked at him sorrowfully. "It seems that way," she sighed.

"Maybe the nights won't be as bad. I had a little talk with Lian Shen. She admitted to helping our dreams along for dramatic effect," he said, putting one arm around her soft shoulders as they walked together.

"She's terrible, isn't she?" Katara said, an edge to her voice.

"Not really," Aang replied. "I think she's mostly bored. I told her to go visit Yue."

"I never thought of spirits having the same kinds of troubles we have," Katara sighed.

"You want to see trouble, go visit the face stealer," Aang said, then shivered. "On second thought, forget I even mentioned him."

Then he stopped for a moment and pulled Katara close to him. He'd loved her for so long—from the moment he laid eyes on her. He didn't know what he'd do without her. She was the solid ground beneath his feet, the peaceful flow of his life that kept him connected when things got strange—like today. Today had been strange.

As he just enjoyed the feel of her against him, he felt heartily sorry for those who didn't have someone to lean on, someone to share the load with. It was his earnest prayer that everyone on the earth find companionship—and love.

Miles away, Jet and Mai rode off in silence, heading back down the stream, but somehow everything had changed on them. Though they rode for hours more, they never reached the edge of the swamp. After a while, Jet knew it was hopeless. They'd been pulled back into its grip. It wanted them, now it had them.

The air grew dark and heavy around them as sun began to set. Strange calls echoed through the night, startling the geckos and making them hard to handle. Mai's grew so skittish after a while that he became afraid it would run off with her. So he stopped and wordlessly relieved it of its pack and saddle, settling Mai into the harness behind him.

Within moments, a low roaring/growling came from a branch overhead and the gecko jerked its reins free of Jet's grip and dashed panicking into the undergrowth, crawling in, over, and around obstacles until it disappeared from sight. The remaining gecko pulled against the reins in fright and it took all Jet's strength to hold it. He talked soothingly to it and finally the animal calmed again.

Jet became aware that Mai was holding around his waist tightly. He patted her hands and talked soothingly to her as well until her grip loosened a little and she rested her cheek against his back.

They continued to ride, aimlessly in Jet's opinion. What was the use of riding at all, he wondered? They'd never get out of that miserable place. It had them right where it wanted them. Alone and helpless in the dark. Bandits at their backs and wild animals around them.

Soon, they rode up on the disemboweled carcass of the other treegecko, its blood splattering the tree trunks around it. Scavengers in the darkness snuffled around, waiting for their turn at the feast. Their gecko scented the air and stepped nervously as they gave the carcass a wide berth. Mai turned her head away from the sight. So did Jet.

At long last, they spotted a dim glow ahead of them. The firepit burned low as they approached the village. Jet's heart sank. All that distance, all that time, all that trouble—to go nowhere. To end up right back where they started.

Silently, he helped Mai off the treegecko, unloaded their belongings, unstrapped the saddle, and put the gecko back in its paddock with fresh food and water. He patted it and spoke to it soothingly again.

Then he took Mai by the hand and walked back into the guest hut where their cots were still laid out just as they'd left them. Aang and Katara slept quietly to one side.

He unbuckled his swordbelt, placed his sword and dagger on the floor beside the bed, and pulled Mai into his arms. Then he lay down on the cot, still holding her close against him.

She lay there half on top of him, half next to him in the darkness. He spoke soothingly to her and stroked her hair as she quietly cried herself to sleep in his arms. After a long while, he too fell asleep, and for the first night slept without dreaming.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Toph awoke the next morning to the distinct sound of rain falling. She looked over to see Zuko still asleep beside her. She wondered what time it was—her husband was usually her alarm clock, rising faithfully with the sun every morning. But she wasn't really surprised that he was still sleeping. The last few days had been pretty rough on him.

As for herself, she felt much better after a long, unbroken night's sleep. She pushed herself up from her cot, then wondered how much longer she'd be able to get up and down so easily. She placed her hand on her belly and concentrated. Then her concentration turned to daydreaming.

Would she be able to sense the baby with her earthbending abilities? Ever since that day on the beach on Tuzai Island, she'd been able to see Zuko. Since then, she'd gotten better at seeing the minerals and salts in her own body and to a lesser degree in other people. But Zuko still stood out to her sight like a granite statue in a garden.

But what about the baby? How well would she be able to see it? Him—she corrected herself. Lian Shen had said it was a boy.

Lian Shen. Her thoughts were so mixed about the swamp spirit. She was extremely glad to know about the baby and extremely grateful that the spirit had helped Zuko get better. But she was also extremely ticked off that she'd also decided to just keep her husband around for a while as a sort of pet hostage. Zuko was nobody's yard ornament.

Toph had half a mind to tap the next earthbender she met as king of Omashu so she, her husband, and her baby could go back home on the next sky bison out of there. Plus, she couldn't wait to tell her parents.

Then she smiled to herself. And Zuko would be able to tell Iroh he was going to be a grandfather—well, granduncle to be technically correct. Then she corrected herself again—Iroh would be this baby's grandfather in every sense that counted.

She realized she needed to stop dreaming and do something with herself before breakfast. So she made her way to the table where the water jug stood, pouring a little into a shallow bowl to wash her face. Then she tried to arrange her hair into some semblance of order, but without a brush or hairpins, she was reduced to running her fingers through it to pull the tangles out.

While she was working on her hair, her mind began to wander again, back to the night of their official wedding—Zuko had pulled the pins out of her elaborate hairdo. She could still feel his hands in her hair as he brushed it. She glanced over at his sleeping form, a soft smile on her face.

Suddenly the sound of the door opening startled her from her reverie. She turned to see Katara enter the room carrying a tray of some kind.

"Good morning," Toph said with a smile. "Is that breakfast?"

"Lunch is more like it," Katara replied with a little laugh. "It's well past noon."

Toph was surprised. "I can't believe we slept this long," she said, moving to help Katara place the tray on the table.

"Everybody had a good night's sleep for once," Katara stated gratefully. "Even Jet and Mai slept in—together." The tone in Katara's voice practically shouted gossip alert and Toph sat down to listen as Katara filled her in. Not only had Jet and Mai returned to the village instead of leaving, they'd spent the night on the same cot, but hadn't spoken a word to each other since waking up late in the morning.

"And it's been pretty hard not to notice that they aren't speaking since we're all pretty much stuck in the same hut with this rain pouring down," Katara finished. "Jet finally just went out—he said to check on the treegecko—but I think he just needed to get out for a while."

"I can certainly understand that," Toph replied. "Zuko can't stand to be cooped up in the rain. He says the sun feels farther away on a cloudy day." She glanced over at him where he lay sleeping. "I'm going to see if I can't get him to wake up and eat something."

Katara nodded, "He needs to get up and move that leg some too. I don't want him to overdo it, but if he could just walk around the room a few times this morning and this afternoon, it will help preserve his range of motion." She got up and went to the door. "If he needs help getting up, just call me."

Toph agreed and watched Katara walk out into the invisible rain, probably bending a huge umbrella over herself as she walked. It must feel good to be surrounded that way by her element though. The longer Toph spent in this mushy wetness, the more cut off from the earth she began to feel. Kind of like Zuko on a rainy day, she thought.

She pulled up a small chair next to Zuko's bed and gently touched his shoulder. After Aang had brought him back from the spirit world the night before, he'd only stayed awake for a little while before drifting off to sleep again. He hadn't had much to say about his spirit journey, apparently he'd spent most of it asleep there too.

He stirred a little and she spoke to him, "Sparky, you need to wake up for a little while and eat something." He groaned a little and opened his eyes. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

He blinked and looked at her as if trying to focus his eyes—they were gold, she remembered. That was one other good thing to have come out of her trip to Lian Shen's place. She knew the color of Zuko's eyes.

Zuko tried to sit up, but his body felt like it weighed a ton. He'd never been so tired or so sore in his entire life. Years of habit and training prompted him to seek out the sun's energy, but he felt like a wet blanket covered him, cold and dense. If he hadn't been able to see the daylight filtering in through the room's windows, he'd have sworn it was nighttime.

Rain pounded on the roof of the hut. He groaned again. Toph reached out to help him sit up, stuffing pillows behind his back. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

"All together, you've been out of action for a few days," she replied. "You gave us all a pretty good scare. How do you feel now?"

"Tired," he managed to reply and closed his eyes. He tried to remembered what had happened to him, but all he got was a vivid sense memory of unbearable pain.

And a garden with soft grass.

And his mother.

He'd dreamed about the last time he saw his mother. The memory of her face, so still and pale, floated to the surface of his mind, then the image flickered away from him as if his brain was too exhausted to bother trying to recall more. It made him sad.

"Baby," Toph's voice came to him and he opened his eyes again, "do you think you could eat something?"

"I'll try," he said and reached to take the cup she offered, his hand shaking with the effort. She held it for him as he took a sip of some kind of thin soup. It tasted pretty good and he managed to drink it all, aware that he was seriously hungry. But even that small act exhausted him.

"Katara said you need to try to walk a little to help your leg heal," Toph continued.

"Later," he said, closing his eyes again in weariness.

Some time later, Toph's voice woke him again. "Sparky, you need to wake up," she called to him, and he could feel her hand on his shoulder, then his forehead. He forced his eyes open. His instincts for daylight immediately told him that it was several hours later, probably mid-afternoon. He reached for the sun, but his element stayed shrouded and distant. The rain still pounded down.

This time Katara was also in the room along with an old woman. Zuko was supposed to know her—the old healer—what was her name? Everything still seemed so fuzzy to him.

His leg was sore. It felt like he'd been running sprints without stretching first. He tried to rub the muscle, but his hand just didn't have the strength to do it.

"Does it hurt?" Toph asked. At his nod, she began to rub it gently, working some of the soreness out. Katara pulled her waters out and followed up with a healing session that eased some of the remaining muscle burn.

"Since you've been so out of it," Katara explained, "we've been working that leg for you. But you're going to have to get up and walk on it yourself, you know."

He nodded in agreement. He had to get up. Toph held another cup of liquid to his lips and he tried to drink it. He had to get his strength back. The effort took all he had and he closed his eyes. Sleep threatened to overcome him again, but he fought it. He had to stay awake.

He could hear their voices, coming to him as if from a distance.

"Dei Zi, what's going on here?" Katara asked. Yes, Dei Zi—that was the old healer's name. She was a strange one, he thought to himself.

"I don't rightly know," Dei Zi replied. "They usually bounce back faster than this. I'd say give him a little more time. Keep working on him with your healing. The water will be good for him."

There was the sound of a chair creaking, then the door opened and shut. He could hear Toph sigh next to him. "I'm worried, Katara," she said softly. "It just doesn't seem right."

"Hey," Katara's comforting voice replied, "you know how strong Zuko is. He won't be down for long. He's a fighter."

He could hear Toph sniff. Was she crying? He tried to reach for her, but could barely move his fingertips.

What was wrong with him? He'd never been this sick. Toph had been sick, he remembered. It had scared him to see her like that--so still, so pale. So much like his mother had looked before the end.

He opened his eyes to see his wife standing beside his bed talking quietly to Katara. One hand was on her stomach. She was pregnant. Wasn't she? Did he know this? He remembered.

A baby. She was having his baby.

He was terrified.

What if something happened to her? What would he do without her?

Memories of his own childhood surged in his mind like a dirty tide on the beach. Memories of trying to please his father, of clinging to his mother's love and acceptance. When she'd disappeared, his father had acted like she'd never been there at all. Zuko had missed her so terribly.

At first.

Then the years of pretending she'd never existed had worked their spell on him. So much so that when he too was banished, he never bothered to even look for her. If he had, she might still be alive. But he'd chosen to seek his father's approval rather than his mother's love.

And deep down he still hated himself for that.

But despite everything, his mother had loved him to the very end.

"Don't be bitter, Zuko," she'd said to him when he and Uncle had finally found her after the war's end. She lay there so still, so sick, coughs shaking her fragile frame. As sick as she was, her last thoughts had been for him and his well-being. "Don't be angry, my sweet boy," she'd said, reaching up to touch his scarred cheek. "I got to see you again. So strong, so good. Don't be bitter. For my sake."

And he'd tried. He'd tried to let go of the anger at his father for banishing her, at himself for forgetting her, and just be glad he got to see her once again.

But her death had left a hole in him that nothing could fill. He missed her so terribly.

Now Toph was having his baby. She was going to be his baby's mother. He looked again at his wife where she stood with her hand still protectively covering her stomach and watched as Katara walked out the door.

That little baby was the luckiest baby in the world to have Toph for his mother--to love him, to accept him, to teach him how to be good and strong.

But what kind of father could he possibly know how to be?

All Zuko had ever learned from his father was anger, frustration, and loss.

How could he ever be the kind of father Toph's baby deserved?

Toph sat down next to him.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"No, baby," she replied gently. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. You'll start feeling better soon."

But that wasn't what he meant. He tried to tell her he was sorry he wasn't strong enough, wasn't whole enough. But he couldn't find the strength to form the words.

Outside in the rain, Jet watched the treegecko wander around the pen aimlessly. Water ran down his face and down the back of his shirt, plastering his hair and clothing to his body as his thoughts ran in endless circles.

He'd woken up that morning when he felt Mai stir against him. For a second, it felt so good to simply hold her--then he realized what he'd done.

The night before when they'd finally reached the village, he'd felt numb with hopelessness. They were trapped. He truly hadn't been thinking straight when he lay down with her in his arms.

But it had felt so good to hold her, to cling to her in his sleep, to use her soft presence as a shield against the nightmares.

He should never have done it. She'd been tired and emotionally exhausted and wasn't in any shape to resist. He'd taken advantage of her in a vulnerable moment simply because he couldn't face another night in that place alone.

Once awake, somehow he'd managed to extricate himself from the narrow cot, aware that he needed to speak to her, to apologize, but unable to bring himself to face her. He was furious with himself for being so weak.

But he was even angrier at the swamp, this terrible land of dreams and shifting terrain. It was like the place had spent the entire past week trying to drive him insane by giving him either terrible nightmares or enigmatic dreams about Mai.

But when she actually showed up, it got even worse. He couldn't spend every day thinking about how it felt to kiss her in his dreams every night. He couldn't talk to her in real life while she laughed at him in his sleep.

So, he tried to escape, but the swamp rearranged itself to keep him there. With Mai in his arms.

"Just what do you want?" he heard himself ask out loud, but there was no reply but the sound of raindrops dripping off the leaves.

Mai had assumed they'd be able to find their way out because the swamp didn't have any interest in them, and that had made sense to him. He could understand why the swamp would want to keep her and the rest of them around—they were important people.

But he was a nobody, just a mercenary with a head full of bad memories. So, why hadn't the swamp let him go?

He pushed the wet hair out of his face as the rain continued to drip down and watched as the gecko circled and sniffed the air in the pen, occasionally lifting its head as if looking for something.

The swamp must have been interested in Mai, he thought. He was just dragged back too because he was with her. There was nothing about him for the swamp to bother with. Just like there was nothing about him for Mai to bother with.

But all the same, Jet couldn't quit thinking about her, how it had felt to kiss the soft skin of her throat, how she'd murmured into his ear, sending shivers down his spine. That whole ploy with the ambush had been an excuse to get close to her and he knew it. He could have easily played it another way—a way that respected her.

But he'd wanted to push that dream, to see what the reality might be like. That experience had taught him one thing--he was losing all self-control where Lady Mai of the Fire Nation was concerned.

Just yesterday he'd come within a hairsbreadth of killing an unarmed man just for the crime of knowing her name.

"I'll see Lady Mai again," the one-eyed little man had hissed beneath his breath and something had snapped inside Jet's head. He'd found himself kneeling on top of the man, whispering savage threats in his ear as his dagger pierced the man's neck.

It had taken all his strength of will not to kill him on the spot—an unarmed man, helpless and wounded. And part of him still wished he had.

Jet leaned back against the fence of the paddock. A roll of thunder echoed across the valley, sending the gecko scampering into its shelter. Jet shivered a little in the chilly rain, but couldn't bring himself to return to the hut.

Sooner or later he would have to face her.

He tried to get a grip on himself, but his thoughts continued to race. Mai was not only his employer, but a very important person--in Omashu and in the Fire Nation. Her family was among the highest in social rank in the world. She made policy, she represented her government, she was a lady. She was welcome in the royal courts of each of the four nations.

He was a nobody. A refugee orphan whose parents had been poor dirt farmers. His family had meant so little in the great scheme of things that when they died, he'd been the only one to notice.

She outclassed him in every way. He had no business in her life.

Then he wondered about hanging about the residential complex as a bodyguard in case that one-eyed bandit decided to make an appearance. But when he remembered how well she'd taken care of the guys trying to kill him, he knew he wasn't really needed.

He'd been very impressed that perfect Lady Mai was also a trained warrior with the deadliness of an assassin. She was more than capable of taking care of herself in a fight. The memory of her swift action, the sureness of her attack, and her mercy stirred his feelings again.

He leaned his forehead into the paddock fence and let the cold rain wash it out of him. How could he spend another moment in her presence? What could he possibly have to say to her?

Then he realized that he probably owed her his life. And his thanks. Surely he could say thank you.

With tremendous effort, he pushed himself away from the fence and began to walk.

Then he remembered the ride home. Not even her martial skills were proof against this place.

He remembered how tightly she'd held onto him as they rode, as the warrior turned into the woman. She'd been just as disheartened as he had by their failure to escape. He remembered how she'd cried herself to sleep in his arms. Maybe she'd needed him a little too.

But that didn't change the fact that he needed to put a stop to this. There was no future for it. He reminded himself that he had nothing to offer her. He didn't even have a real place to live. He just kept his stuff in a back room at the leather shop between jobs.

She was an important dignitary and he was her employee. He would apologize for his conduct, and thank her for saving his life. Then he would remember himself and treat her with the utmost of respect and professional distance. Maybe then he would stop dreaming about her.

He walked up the steps of the hut and placed one hand on the door handle. It opened of its own accord to reveal Mai standing there, her expression unreadable, as enigmatic as his dreams.

She'd spent the last hour or so at the window watching him, wondering what was going on in his head.

The previous day had been long and rough and the evening had been disturbing. She'd been deeply exhausted when they got to the village, and it had felt so good to let Jet take the lead.

All her life she'd made her own way—for good or for ill. As a Fire Nation representative, she was used to making decisions, staying friendly yet impartial, and generally leading an independent life.

But this place seemed to sap the independence out of a person, to sap the will. She'd been a passenger for the entire trip, going where the others had gone, waiting around uselessly while the others had helped Zuko. She didn't like being useless.

When Jet offered a way out of the swamp, she'd jumped at the chance to leave. It wasn't that she wanted to abandon the rest of the group. It wasn't that she'd wanted to spend time with Jet. She primarily just wanted to be back calling her own shots in Omashu.

The first part of the ride had been very enjoyable—she was actually doing something. And as disturbing as it had been to be ambushed by bandits, that bit of action had actually been the bright spot in her day.

It had felt so good to take those guys down, to finally make something happen on her own terms. And Jet's con job on the bandits had been extremely amusing to watch—not to mention the unexpected thrill she'd gotten from playing his girlfriend.

But Jet's mood had grown very dark after he'd confronted the bandit leader. Any attempt she made at recovering their previous camaraderie just seemed to fall flat. Her spirits also sank as they traveled in what felt like an endless circle, the realization finally setting in that they were not going to get out of the swamp any time soon.

As the sky had grown dark around her, she found herself losing the will to fight. She'd begun to have trouble controlling her mount, primarily due to her own lack of resolve. When it had run away only to be killed, she'd felt personally responsible, as if she'd let it down by her own unaccountable weakness.

She'd felt powerless against the swamp, against the night, against the strange creatures that surrounded them.

Her mood had been so dark upon arriving at the village that as Jet had silently taken everything in hand, including her, it had been frighteningly easy to let him.

She'd cried on him.

She'd actually cried.

There was something about that place that robbed her of her spirit, that made her feel empty and hollow inside. It was like it knew something about her she didn't know herself. And it took great pleasure in showing her these things in the dark of the night, when she was the most vulnerable.

But in the light of day, as she awoke in his arms, her first thoughts had been peaceful, contented. She lay there and felt the warmth of his body through the fabric of his shirt beneath her cheek. Then he'd taken a deep breath and she knew he was waking. She didn't move as he first lightly ran his fingers over her hair.

In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to stay in that place forever. To feel safe, cared for.

But did he care?

Or had she just been a convenient distraction from the darkness?

In the morning light she'd looked up at him and he'd frozen. Self-conscious and embarrassed, they'd extricated themselves from each other. He hadn't spoken to her or looked at her all morning and she didn't know why.

A time or two she'd tried to catch his eye, but he'd managed to avoid her, then had actually gone to stand in the rain rather than speak to her.

Now he stood in the doorway, still in the rain, still unwilling to meet her gaze. "Well," she finally began, "what now?"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Aang stood next to Appa, bending a large rainshield over him as he ate. Appa didn't like his food damp. For that matter, neither did Aang.

Katara walked up to stand next to him, joining her bending with his to create a nice, dry bubble for them.

"How is Zuko?" Aang asked quietly.

"I wish he was more alert," Katara replied. "He's sleeping too much. Toph says he has trouble staying awake more than fifteen minutes or so at a time. And it's getting to her too. She seems so distracted." She reached out to pet Appa's long, soft coat. "I miss Bumi. I wish we could go home."

"Home?" Aang asked with a grin. "And where would that be?"

"Wherever you and Bumi are," she replied, leaning into him. "But you know, this place isn't so bad now that Lian Shen has stopped messing with our dreams. It's practically made of water. And the rain is really peaceful."

"It's a little like us, isn't it?" Aang asked. "All misty. Air and water. Clouds."

Katara looked out over the lush green swamp. The rain fell steadily all around their little dome, mist rising from the trees. Then Aang turned to her with those clear, steady gray eyes and brushed the hair back from her face, cupping her chin in his hand.

As he bent to kiss her, he let the mist rise around them, clinging to their skin, embracing them with its airy dampness.

Behind them Appa could only grunt a little in protest as his food got wet.

Meanwhile, Jet stood in the doorway of the guest hut, rain dripping heavily into his eyes, blurring his vision. But not so much that he couldn't see that look of challenge on Mai's face, that look he knew so well from his dreams. He stared at her for a moment before jerking his thoughts back into order.

"Lady Mai," he began with a deep bow, "I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was inexcusable. I should not have taken the liberties I took with you. You have my word that it will not happen again. And I also want to thank you for saving my life."

Mai listened to his well-rehearsed apology, then responded with a slight bow of her own, "You have nothing to apologize for, Jet. I thank you for taking such good care of me."

He was aware that she was still looking at him, but did not meet her eyes. He nodded and turned to walk away, when he felt her hand on his arm.

"There's no need to stand in the rain," she chastised. "Come in and dry off."

He paused a moment, then entered the hut. No one else was around. "Where are Aang and Katara?" he asked.

"Aang went to check on Appa and Katara has gone to check on Zuko and Toph," Mai replied, taking a seat on her cot and passing Jet a dry towel. "That's one of the perks of being a water-bender, I guess. They can both just bend the rain away from them and stay dry. I hope they'll bend me a nice umbrella over the fire when they come back. It's been so cold in here today."

It didn't seem that cold to Jet, even as wet as he was, but he nodded in agreement, glad to see that he could talk to her reasonably and professionally.

He toweled off his hair, then pulled a dry change of clothes out of his pack. When Mai realized what he intended to do, she got up and walked to the door.

She opened it to step out just as the bottom fell out of the endless cloud and rain poured down so heavily it sent a damp mist into the room. She felt herself shiver.

"No, close the door," Jet said. "There's no point in you getting soaked too. I can wait."

Mai shut the door again, then asked, "How about if I just keep my back turned?" Jet gave her a nod, and she turned to the window to watch the rain.

As Jet began to unbutton his vest, Mai kept up a one sided conversation about the weather, how cold it was, how long it had been raining, and how long Dei Zi had predicted it would rain. "She says we're in for a week of this at least, can you believe it?" she said sadly as she stared out the window into the darkened skies.

The clouds were so heavy overhead that even in late afternoon it appeared to be closer to evening. Fat raindrops splattered the leaves and the ground, turning the wet mushiness outside even wetter, even mushier.

"I don't know if I can take another week cooped up in this place," Jet replied as he pulled his wet shirt over his head, "even though I did actually manage to sleep well last night." Then he stopped as he realized what he'd said. His shirt hung dripping in his hands for a second before he regrouped his senses and hung it over the end of his cot.

Mai stood there silently then said, "I slept better too. Aang said the swamp spirit was interfering with our dreams. Maybe the nights won't be as bad now." She could hear the rustle of clothing behind her and made every effort to keep her eyes focused out the window.

"I'm done," Jet said at last and she turned back into the room to see him draping his wet clothing over whatever surface was available.

"If I were a bender, I'd dry them for you," she offered with a little smile as she walked back over to her cot, pushing it back against Katara's to make more room for him to walk around. Then she sat, pulling her blanket up around her shoulders. "Also if I were a bender," she continued, "I'd generate a little heat in this place. It's cold in here."

"I'm not really that cold. Just wet," Jet replied, pushing his own cot as far against the edge of the room as he could. Then he sat down on it and leaned back against the wooden wall of the hut.

"Are you a bender?" Mai asked conversationally.

"Nope, not to amount to anything," he replied.

They sat there quietly for a few more minutes as the rain pounded and the thunder rolled.

"So--" they both said at once, then laughed.

Then Mai said, "Your turn to ask something."

Jet nodded. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked curiously. "You were incredible."

Mai thanked him and began telling him of her early training. "My parents were a little disappointed that I didn't have any bending abilities to speak of. All Fire Nation nobles are supposed to be benders," she said wryly. "But when I began martial arts training, my teacher found out that I have a kind of gift with knives." Then she shivered a little.

"Are you still cold?" Jet asked.

Mai gave a little nod. "I just can't seem to warm up with all this rain." She then yawned a little. "And its so dark and gloomy outside. It makes me want to sleep."

Jet pulled the blanket off his cot and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Just where do you keep all those knives?" he asked in a teasing voice. His eyes grew wide as she pulled up the sleeves of her tunic to reveal two sleek spring-loaded holsters.

"I have three more in my belt and two on each ankle," she added.

He whistled in appreciation, a little surprised that he hadn't been able to feel any of that weaponry on her body the night before. Then he forced his attention back to the present as Katara and Aang entered the room, both annoyingly dry.

"How's Zuko?" Mai asked solicitously.

"He's not doing as well as I hoped," Katara replied seriously. "He's not getting his strength back like he should."

"Maybe it will just take time," Jet offered. "I know how he feels. It took me months to truly get over being blasted by Long Feng." The memory of that whole experience still rankled and he shook his thoughts away from the recollection.

"Long Feng? The head of the Dai Li?" Mai asked curiously.

"Yeah," Jet replied. "Do you know about him?"

Mai thought for a moment, then replied, "I've just heard the name in Ba Sing Se."

"Jet helped us escape from him during the war," Aang interjected helpfully. "He broke free of Long Feng's brainwashing and attacked him."

"And Long Feng returned the favor," Jet said with a dismissive laugh. "That was a long time ago."

Katara walked over to give Jet a little pat on the back. "We thought you didn't make it," she admitted sadly.

"I've been presumed dead plenty more times since then," he replied with a little grin. "I don't take it personally any more."

Mai had grown a bit pale. She'd already heard this story, but from the other side.

She, Azula, and Ty Lee had infiltrated the castle at about that time. Once they'd taken over Ba Sing Se with the Dai Li's help, there was a time when Long Feng was a valued ally. She'd actually listened one night over dinner as he regaled them with the story of how he'd made sure that the only person to ever break conditioning at Lake Laogai would never so so again.

That person must have been Jet. She'd actually nodded in agreement as Azula had congratulated Long Feng on killing him. What had she been thinking? What kind of monster had she been?

Once again she deeply regretted ever joining Azula. Nothing but bad had come from it and she'd spent years trying to make up for the things she'd done. Trying to become the kind of person she ought to be.

Jet could see that Mai was shaken by the tale. "It's no big deal. I got over it," he said gently. Then he turned to Aang and Katara and asked, "How long do you think before we can pull up stakes and get out of here?"

Katara shook her head. "That depends on Zuko. I was going to try to get him up to walk in a few minutes."

"Let me come give you a hand," Jet offered, rising to his feet. "I've been through rehab a time or two myself. I know how rough it can be."

But even with Jet's help, Zuko could barely manage to stand, much less walk. He tried. He tried with everything he had, but it was like something was sucking the life out of him. He was so tired.

And after only a few minutes of effort, he could feel his nerves begin to protest. His head began to pound and the supportive grip of their hands on his arms turned into steel vises. "Katara, stop," Toph called to them. "It's too much."

"No," Zuko tried to tell her, but even as he said it, his knees buckled. Fortunately Jet caught him and eased him back to the cot.

He shook with the exertion as Katara worked some of her healing on his pounding head. The pain eased, but he could still feel himself trembling.

The rain continued to pour outside the hut, making the air inside chilly and damp. The trembling turned into shivers.

"Sparky, are you okay?" Toph asked him as she leaned in close.

He nodded wordlessly as she reached out to touch his cheek and forehead. "You're freezing," she stated, then pulled another blanket across him.

The trembling began to ease and he felt himself slipping again into sleep. He tried to fight it, but he felt so weak, so lifeless. The voices around him grew more and more distant until he finally could hear them no more.

"I just don't know," Katara sighed. "I've done everything I know how to do for him. Dei Zi has done everything she knows how to do. I just don't know why he's not bouncing back from this faster."

"Go talk to Aang," Toph said firmly. "See if the other avatars have any idea what might be happening to Zuko. Get him to talk to Lian Shen again if he has to. Something is not right, Katara. I can feel it."

Katara nodded in agreement. "Jet, do you want to walk back with me?" she asked.

"That's okay," he answered. "I'm going to stay with Toph for a little while."

"You don't have to do that," Toph replied firmly. "I'm just fine."

"I want to," Jet stated, walking Katara to the door.

Once Katara was out of earshot, he turned back to the earthbender, amazed as usual by how much power was contained in that petite frame. "Toph, how are you holding up?" he asked in a very no-nonsense fashion.

"I'm fine," she said firmly.

"You're lying," he answered. "I can hear it in your voice. Tell me the truth."

Toph sighed and leaned back in her chair. "It's so hard," she finally confessed. "I can't see anything. My mind wanders. I can't feel the ground. I'm cut off. I feel like I'm losing myself."

Then she reached out to stroke Zuko's hair back from his face. "He needs me to be strong, but I feel so powerless. I can't do anything to help him, Jet," she sighed. "I can't even help myself."

Jet understood how she felt. Ever since his first night in that place, he'd begun to feel like he'd lost his footing. Like he'd become rootless.

"If I could just get the earth under my feet for a few minutes," Toph said sincerely, "I would feel so much better."

"I'm no bender," Jet replied, "but I can imagine how bad it must be for you to be cut off this way from the earth. I miss it myself."

Then it hit him. He and Toph were cut off from the earth—they felt lost. Zuko and Mai were cut off from the sun with all this rain and shade—they felt cold and weak. Maybe that was the solution.

"I'll be back in a minute," he said and ran out the door of the hut.

By the time he arrived at the guest hut he was soaked again. Fortunately, he had a master waterbender and the avatar available to bend him dry with almost no effort. That kind of ability must be nice, he thought.

He looked over to see that Mai had stretched out on her cot and was apparently asleep, still wrapped in both blankets. That just reinforced his theory.

"Aang, Katara," he began, "how do you feel?"

The two of them looked at each other. "I feel fine, I guess," Aang answered.

"Me too," Katara added. "Why do you ask?"

"I've got a theory," he began. "Zuko and Mai are Fire Nation, but all this rain and the thick swamp has cut them off from the sun. Mai was complaining about being cold and tired. Zuko is even worse—maybe because he was already weak from the bite. Toph and I are Earth Kingdom. But there's no earth around, so we feel out of touch and lost."

Aang thought for a moment. "That makes sense. Katara is enjoying all the water. That's why the Water Tribe lives at the poles, nothing but ocean and ice. They're surrounded by water."

"And the only people who can live in the swamp and not go stir crazy are water benders too," Katara added.

"Air Nomads have a real advantage," Aang commented sagely. "We're always in our element." Then he smiled at them and added, "Otherwise, we'd suffocate."

Katara just ignored him. "Jet, I think you're right. We need to get the rest of you guys out of here—especially Zuko," she declared firmly. "Some place rocky and sunny. But close—I don't think a long ride would be good for Zuko right now. What little movement we tried just now set him back too much for my peace of mind."

"The sun will be down within a couple of hours anyway. We'll let Zuko rest through the night, then pull out first thing in the morning," Aang suggested.

They roused Mai and all headed over to the healer's hut to deliver the news. When Toph heard their plan, her face brightened in a way Aang had not seen for days. He wondered why he hadn't already come to the same conclusion. After all, he was the avatar and was supposed to be connected to all four elements. Surely he should have missed having contact with the earth and the sun.

Jet had been very observant to make the connection, especially since he wasn't a bender himself. Leaving Katara and Mai to help Toph, Aang and Jet returned to the guest hut where Jet got busy readying his still damp clothing for travel.

Aang immediately felt bad. He should have already dried them for him. "Let me get that," he said, reaching out a hand to bend the water out of the wet leather and fabric, then firebending a little heat into the items. "Gets the wrinkles out," he explained. "Katara always makes me do the laundry."

"Must be nice to be able to do that kind of thing," Jet said with a grateful grin. "Us regular folks just wash them by hand and hang them up to dry."

"So you aren't a bender at all?" Aang asked curiously as Jet began to fold his now dried trousers and shirt.

"Not really," Jet replied. "Sometimes I get a feeling from the ground, but I can't really manipulate it or pick up rocks or anything. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Aang answered, but kept thinking.

Mai and Katara returned to the hut, carrying a couple of trays of food. Jet was glad to see it. Thoughts of leaving that miserable place actually brought his appetite back.

"Toph is so excited to leave," Katara said. "I think this is definitely the right thing to do. But we still don't know where we're going."

Jet took a bowl of stew from the tray Mai held out to him and spoke up, "I think I know the perfect spot. It's an old hideout of mine. As the sky bison flies, it shouldn't take more than half an hour to get there, but it's too remote to be used by bandits because it's up in the mountains. There's a large cave and a spring."

"I don't do caves," Mai replied firmly.

"There's also a large open area that gets direct sun nearly all day. You can soak up rays to your heart's content," Jet continued with a grin. "And the cave is big enough to hold Appa. Trust me, you'll like it. No centimanders."

Mai smiled back at him and unaccountably his mood lightened even more. He decided not to tell her about the scorpionspiders.

Back in Dei Zi's hut, Toph watched as the old healer gathered up a few personal items for the night. "I won't deny that it'll be good to have my place back to myself again," she said a little gruffly. "It's getting to be downright boring sitting with Bo all day."

"Is he any better?" Toph asked politely. She'd certainly not meant to inconvenience anyone.

"I reckon," Dei Zi replied. "Katara has worked enough healing on his back that maybe he'll be able to get around well enough to send you all on your way tomorrow. All the rest of the men have gone on a hunt and seek with Hu."

"What's a hunt and seek?" Toph asked.

"They hunt dinner and seek enlightenment from the swamp. Hu says if they listen closely enough, they'll hear things that will help them understand themselves," Dei Zi replied sarcastically. "I think it's just a chance to dodge work for a couple of days."

"So they listen to the voice of the earth?" Toph responded thoughtfully.

"Not so much the earth as the swamp. Hu talks about wishing he could hear the earth too. He says the earth and the swamp talk to each other," the old woman offered. Then she gave Toph a sly wink and added, "But he talks about this kind of thing mostly when he's been sipping on swamp punch."

Toph nodded in understanding as Dei Zi left the room. She went back to Zuko's side. It hurt her so badly to see him this way. To know there was nothing she could do. He shifted a little in his sleep and the blankets dropped off his shoulder. He was going to get cold, she realized.

All the same, it took her a moment to focus enough to pull the blankets back into place. Jet was right. They had to get out of here soon. She had to get back to a place where she could hear the earth's voice again herself. Otherwise, she'd soon begin to lose her mind completely .


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Mai woke up in the night freezing. Even with her blanket and Jet's she just couldn't seem to get warm. She looked beside her in the darkness of the crowded hut. Though less than a foot away, it was so dark she could just barely make out Katara and Aang, their cots pushed together so that they could be close to each other. Aang's arm was draped around Katara's waist and she held his hand.

It was sweet.

But more than that, it looked warm.

Then she glanced over in the other direction toward Jet. There was barely twelve inches between their cots. He lay sound asleep, his back to her. Maybe if she scooted her cot just a little closer, she could back up to him and take advantage of his warmth. She'd just have to wake up early enough to scoot back so that he wouldn't know she'd done it.

Quietly Mai inched her cot over next to his, then lay down with her back at the edge so that she could feel the heat that radiated off his body. He was so warm. It felt wonderful. She basked in it for a moment, then drifted back into a more comfortable sleep.

If she'd actually reached out to touch him, she'd have realized he was more than warm. He was feverish.

Lian Shen lay on her side in her garden, this time in an arbor of rosedaisies. She enjoyed the scent of rosedaisies. She hoped her guest enjoyed them as well, though of course, he was considerably more asleep than awake as he lay there beside her on the softest bed of moss she could conjure.

She propped up on one elbow so she could better observe him, leaving one hand free to trace little patterns over Jet's oh-so-muscular chest and stomach.

She knew she'd better have him back by morning. The last thing she wanted was that annoying avatar back in her garden to preach to her again about her interest in these delightful young men.

But in the meantime, it was nice to enjoy his company, to listen to his thoughts and dreams.

She had overlooked him before in her interest in King Bumi's choice of monarch—that smart-mouthed little Toph. And of course, she'd had to spend time with the delectable Prince Zuko, out of courtesy to her beloved Iroh if nothing else.

But this young man—Jet. He was interesting in his own right. He had claimed three times during the day that he was no bender. But she knew that to be untrue.

"Jet, darling," she crooned to him as he lay next to her.

"Mmmm?" he answered, still nearly asleep.

"Why did you tell them you weren't a bender?" she asked, tracing one of those beautifully arched eyebrows.

"Because I'm not," he murmured, his eyes still firmly closed.

"Only because you don't really try, do you?" she replied knowingly. "Why don't you ever try?"

"No teacher," he whispered, then drifted away. She listened in as he began to dream—and to remember.

Jet dreamed of a time before the Fire Nation came to his village. He'd been six years old, very precocious and into everything. But his village had been small and there had been no bending teacher there for many years.

All the same, when Jet's father had found him carefully bending small rocks into a mound, he'd been very excited. He'd grabbed him up in his strong arms and swung him around, then carried him into their little house where Jet's mother had been making bread.

"We've got ourselves a little bender here!" his father had said, tossing him proudly into the air. "As soon as this year's harvest comes in, we'll take you to the city and find you a teacher."

"How in the world will we ever afford a teacher?" his mother had asked, wiping the flour from her hands with a clean, but worn towel.

"He can go to one of the public schools," his father had replied.

"Oh, I don't know," his mother had been reluctant. "He's too young to go away on his own like that."

"But this could be his chance, sweetheart. This could be his chance to have more than we can give him," his father had replied, ruffling Jet's hair proudly.

"I'll think about it," she'd said. Then she'd turned to Jet and knelt down in front of him. He could see love and pride in her beautiful emerald green eyes. "Jet, I'm very proud of you and what you can do. We'll do everything we can to help you develop your gift."

But they hadn't been able to go after the harvest because by that time, Fire Nation soldiers had overtaken their village. Their harvest had gone to feed the soldiers that year and every year following until the year Jet turned eight.

Though his parents had strictly forbidden him, Jet had impatiently begun to practice what little he knew about earthbending in hopes of soon being able to learn from a real teacher. After all, if he didn't get instruction soon, he'd never be really good at it.

You had to learn early if you wanted to be a great earthbender. And he wanted to be a great earthbender.

If he had to, he'd run away to Ba Sing Se or Omashu where the soldiers wouldn't be able to find him, where he could learn how to be a powerful earthbender instead of a poor farmer.

Unfortunately, he'd been spotted one day as he practiced. When the soldiers came to take him away, his father had sent him to the woods out back to hide. Terrified, he'd seen the soldiers drag his parents out of the house to stand before the leader of the current battalion.

"Where is the boy?" he asked harshly. But his parents refused to answer.

The man grew furious and attacked, and Jet could only watch helplessly as his parents crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Then the leader turned slowly, scanning the surroundings. The man's image with its cruel smile and bright red Fire Nation uniform was burned into Jet's memory. "We'll find you, boy!" the man had cried almost triumphantly, then told his soldiers, "Burn him out!"

Fire poured from their hands as the Fire Nation soldiers set his house ablaze, then began to burn the entire village.

Jet had run into the woods and never looked back. He'd also never tried to earthbend again.

How sad, Lian Shen thought to herself as she wiped away a little tear that had risen from his eye to lie trapped in his eyelashes.

How sad. But how interesting.

"Go back to them, Jet darling," she said. "Come and find me again when you know who you are." Then she leaned over to give him a little kiss and sent him home.

Jet never even woke up as his spirit returned to the little hut where everyone slept peacefully. He rolled over, his hand brushing Mai's back as he turned. Reflexively, he reached out for her, pulling her close as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Mai awoke at daybreak, even though the clouds were still so thick overhead and the rain pounded down so heavily it still seemed like night. Her front was still cold, but her back was warm where she lay pressed against Jet's body. One strong arm encircled her, his warm fingers wrapped around her wrist.

She tried to wiggle her hand gently out of his grip, but instead he pulled her more tightly against him.

She hoped Aang and Katara were still fast asleep. Looking over, she could see that Katara still lay quietly, but Aang was apparently already up. Maybe it was so dark when he'd left that he didn't notice them.

She pulled carefully again at Jet's hand and he suddenly snapped to wakefulness.

"How did you get over here?" he asked sleepily as he let go of her.

"I didn't. You dreamed it," she answered, then stood up and quietly pulled her cot away from his.

"What time is it?" Katara asked with a yawn as she sat up.

"Time to go," Mai answered as she slipped on her shoes and pulled her pack out from under her cot.

Jet stretched behind her. "Man, I had weird dreams," he said with a yawn of his own, then watched as Mai folded her cot and pushed it up toward its storage space in the rafters. She wasn't quite tall enough to reach, though, so he stood up behind her and pushed it into place, his body brushing hers. She turned in surprise, bumping into him, then backing away.

"Sorry," she said nervously. "Didn't know you were back there."

Then she walked to the door and opened it to exit, only to find a drenching downpour ahead of her. She really didn't want to get wet. So she just stood there in the doorway watching it rain as Katara and Jet finished putting up the cots behind her. She shivered a little.

"I have a jacket if you're cold," Jet offered.

"I'm okay," she answered.

But Jet pulled the jacket out of his pack. "Here," he said firmly, holding it out to her.

With a grateful nod, she took it and slipped it on. It was brown leather, soft and worn. The sleeves hung down over her fingertips. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried not to shiver any more.

Katara walked to the door with her pack. "Let's go," she said, reaching out to bend a rainfree bubble in the air ahead of them.

She'd even bended some of the wetness out of the ground, Mai noticed as she walked. It wasn't nearly as mushy as she thought it would be as they walked to the healer's hut. Dei Zi came out to meet them.

"Avatar Aang has gone after that big furry animal of his," she said. "I've got a stretcher here ready and I've packed up some food and water to last you a couple of days."

Katara gave her a deep bow and thank you, then walked into the hut, careful to continue bending the rain away from Jet and Mai outside where they stood with Dei Zi.

"What can we do to repay you?" Mai asked with a very grateful, very polite bow. "Your kindness and hospitality have been overwhelming."

Dei Zi smiled with a twinkle in her eye. "Oh, swamp folk don't take payment for hospitality. Just take care of the next person to come along that needs your help. That's payment enough."

"All the same," Mai added with a twinkle in her own eye, "I bet a gift of some cooking spices and fabrics wouldn't go unappreciated."

"Now a gift is a gift," Dei Zi answered with a merry laugh. "It would be ungrateful not to take it."

Mai bowed again.

Jet was impressed by the interchange. Mai certainly had a way with diplomacy. He'd have just said thanks and walked off.

"Spices and fabrics?" he asked her as Dei Zi walked back toward the firepit, holding a large leafy umbrella over her head.

"Didn't you taste the food we've been eating?" Mai asked.

"I thought it was pretty good," Jet said. "Simple but good."

"It was delicious. They use a number of seasonings to add variety," Mai replied patiently. "And all the men may wear leaves, but the women sure like their pretty floral print sarongs."

Jet nodded in understanding as Katara opened the door of the hut. "Jet, will you come give me a hand for a minute?" she asked.

Mai waited and watched the rain fall around the bubble that still surrounded her. She wondered how much concentration it took for Katara to keep it up when she wasn't physically in it. Suddenly the bubble grew much, much larger as Appa and Aang settled down into the little clearing.

Within minutes, they had Zuko on the stretcher, out the door of the hut, and onto Appa's back.

"I'll be right back," Jet said as the rest of the group began to climb aboard.

Mai watched as he walked toward a man who came limping out of one of the huts. He had hair the color of dirty straw and eyes of clear aquamarine. They stood at a distance together in the rain and talked.

"Bo," Jet said, giving him a bow, "I wish this trip had turned out better for you."

"Weren't no problem for me," Bo replied. "I just hate that I let you down. I'll make it up to you next trip."

"There may not be a next trip," Jet admitted. "I think I got my fill of the swamp this time."

"Shucks, naw," Bo laughed, "you just got a good enough taste of it that you'll want to come back."

"I don't think so," Jet replied. Then he looked over toward the treegecko paddock where his remaining gecko stood in the rain, circling and sniffing the air. "I'd appreciate it if you'd just take my gecko as payment for the trip."

"That's mighty generous," Bo answered. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Keep both the saddles too. I don't think I'll be using them again," Jet said quietly. Then he looked back again at where the gecko circled and looked around, then circled again.

"What's he doing?" Jet asked. "I've never seen him do that before yesterday."

Bo looked over and watched for a moment, then replied, "He's looking for his lost mate." Bo must have noticed Jet's look of regret because he clapped him on the arm and said encouragingly, "Don't you worry. I'll take care of him."

Jet bowed again in gratitude, then the two men clasped forearms. Then he ran back through the rain to where Aang and Katara's rainshield began. He started to climb up into the saddle when Katara said, "Hold on there!"

For a desperate second Jet's heart sank with a sudden fear that they were going to leave him there.

Then Katara bended the rainwater out of his clothes and hair, leaving him completely dry. He climbed up into the saddle with relief evident on his face. "We couldn't have you dripping all over us," she said with a laugh.

Then Aang called out, "Yip yip," and Appa rose easily into the air. Jet thought it was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard.

As they left the ground, Toph grimly thought to herself that she'd exchanged one state of blindness for another. Maybe this one wouldn't last long though, she hoped. Jet had said the cave wasn't far by air. So she took deep breaths and kept her calm by focusing her vision on Zuko.

He'd been restless during the night, but too weak to toss and turn like he normally would. Sometimes if he had something pressing on his mind that was bothering him bad enough, he'd just get up and go down to his office to work. Doing something about it always seemed to help him.

But right at the moment, he couldn't do much. That alone would cause her husband to be restless. King Bumi had him pegged right with positive jing. Zuko was a doer. And when he ran across something he couldn't just burn his way through so to speak, it had a tendency to throw him.

For that reason, Zuko was not at his best when he was sick. Toph sincerely hoped Jet's theory about the sun was right. Her husband needed to get better soon.

After several minutes of flying, she could tell that they'd broken free of the cloud cover by the feel of the sun on her own face. "Sparky," she whispered to him, "can you feel that? It's the sun. It's your element, baby."

At her side, she could hear Mai actually sigh with pleasure. "Sunlight! I have never been so glad to see the sun before," she exclaimed.

But Zuko didn't stir. "Wake up, baby," Toph said, running her hand over his shoulder. But he just slept on.

"Give him time, Toph," Katara said gently in her ear. "This will be good for him. It just might take a little while."

Toph could hear voices coming from up front on Appa's head, a discussion between Aang and Jet.

"I've never looked for it from the sky before," Jet was saying. "All my landmarks are at ground level."

"Tell me what they look like," Aang said. "I'm pretty good at translating back and forth from sky to ground."

As Jet began to describe the various mountain formations he used to guide him to the cave hideout, Aang guided Appa, sometimes asking questions about heights and shapes.

"Take us down here," Jet stated after several more minutes. "This looks very close." Then before Appa's feet even touched the ground, Jet exclaimed, "Yeah, this is it."

Toph listened as Mai, Jet, and Aang slid off Appa's back. Then Mai said sharply, "I thought you said there was a large cave here. I don't see a cave."

Jet replied with a laugh, "I said the cave was large. I didn't say the entrance was large."

After another look over at Zuko, Toph slid off Appa's back to make room for the guys to get the stretcher down. As soon as her feet touched the earth—the blessed earth—the wonderful earth--she could see what they were talking about as her earthbending vision came back to her full throttle.

"I thought you said the cave was large enough for Appa to come inside," Mai continued, a distinct hint of nervousness in her voice.

"It is," Jet said, putting a friendly arm around Mai's shoulders. "If he could get through the door."

In the mountain up ahead of her Toph could see a very large, very beautiful cave complex complete with several rooms and a nicely fed bubbling spring that ran into a deep pool. The entrance, however, was only about a foot or so wide for at least eight feet. It was indeed the perfect hideout.

Mai continued to protest, "I can't go in there. That is not a large cave."

Toph was officially out of patience.

"Step aside, people," she ordered briskly.

With a rush of renewed strength and power, she bended that narrow opening into a wide portico, complete with columns and a carved welcome mat.

"Man, that felt good," she said with a deep sigh of satisfaction as the rest of the group just looked at her in amazement.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Zuko could feel the sun.

He knew without opening his eyes that it was mid-morning, just by the feel of the rays. He tried to open himself to the fire that normally filled him each day, bringing him life and energy. But the way was blocked—like a frozen river.

But just like water could flow under the ice, fire flowed over him, gradually weakening the barrier between him and his element. Soon, little cracks appeared, letting the sunlight pierce through, slowly stirring heat and life into his system.

He forced himself to breathe, to draw in those sharp little beams until he began to feel his energy rise—maybe not to normal levels—maybe nowhere near—but at least enough that he could finally become fully awake.

He opened his eyes to see Toph sitting beside him in a sort of earthen lounge chair, complete with umbrella. He looked down to see that he lay on a lounge of his own in the full sun. For a chair made of rock it was surprisingly comfortable. However, he was a bit concerned that he was without shirt or trousers.

"Hey, Sparky," she said softly, rising quickly to sit on his lounge beside him. "How do you feel?"

"Better," he managed. "Where are we?"

"We are in our own private courtyard in the mountains. It's beside a cave hideout of Jet's," she explained. He looked around to see that they were indeed surrounded by ten foot walls. "You needed the sun on your body, but I didn't want Mai and Katara ogling you," she explained with an irrepressible grin.

"What about you then?" Zuko asked, taking in her fully clothed state. "You look a little overdressed to me," he managed to tease, albeit weakly. "Let's see some skin."

"You are better, aren't you?" Toph laughed. "Don't you worry. I'm doing just fine in the shade. Firebenders don't have to worry about sunburn, but earthbenders do."

She leaned forward to give him a kiss on the forehead. He tried to reach out for her, but he was still too weak. "This is ridiculous," he grumbled. "How much longer am I going to be like this?"

Now he was getting angry. Toph was very glad to see it—if he was strong enough to be grouchy, he was definitely better. "Just keep soaking in that good heat, baby," she said with a grin. "You'll be up and about in no time."

Back in the cave, Jet gathered what few provisions he'd stored there. He was glad to see that nothing had been disturbed since his last visit. Maybe that meant his hideout was still secret. He glanced across the room at Mai. Once Toph had opened that incredible new doorway into the caves, Mai had been much more willing to enter.

Now she explored the large central room, looking around in amazement.

"So, what do you think?" Jet asked as he opened a clay jug to check its contents.

"It's interesting," Mai responded evenly, "if you like this kind of thing." She glanced up a little nervously. "I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep with those things dangling over me like that," she said with a shiver as she pointed up at the stalactites that hung from the ceiling.

"Maybe you can get Aang or Toph get rid of the ones over your bedroll," Jet said with a laugh.

"I hope so," Mai replied with another nervous look at the ceiling.

"I take it you don't like caves," Jet continued as he rose to check the boxes on a rough storage rack.

"Not particularly," she said. "I don't like to have so much ceiling between me and daylight." She walked back toward the large open porch Toph had created. "This is much better. Plenty of sunshine."

"I hope I can talk Toph into putting it back like it was when we get ready to leave, though," Jet said as he moved a couple of low stools toward the fire pit. "Having it this open is just an invitation for someone to find it. Then it wouldn't be much of a hideout anymore."

Mai turned to look at him. "Why do you need a hideout?" she asked. "Who are you hiding from?"

Jet shrugged. "You never know. I like to have a place to go where I know I won't be found."

Mai thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "I can appreciate that," she said.

Katara and Aang walked up to join them.

"How's it looking in here?" Aang asked. "Do you think we can make it a few days?"

"I think so," Jet replied. "Most of my supplies are still good—basic but usable. There's plenty of water in the spring."

"I was thinking of flying in to Omashu to pick up some more food and extra bedding," Aang said. "I don't think it will take more than a couple of hours to get there."

"Sounds good to me," Jet replied.

"Would either of you like to go back to the city?" Aang continued. "This might be your best chance for the next several days."

"I'd better stay here while you're gone," Jet answered immediately. "No one else knows the area as well as I do just in case there is trouble. Just let the guys know where I am if you don't mind." Then he glanced over toward Mai.

This was her chance, she thought. She could pull up stakes right now and head back to her old, safe, independent life.

On the other hand, it was actually fun to be off with the group. "I think I'll stick around to keep Katara company while Toph's busy tending to Zuko," she heard herself answer.

"Okay," Aang replied with a little smile, "just thought I'd offer." He looked back at Katara with a slightly raised eyebrow, then walked over to knock on the wall of Toph's courtyard.

"Yes?" Toph called.

"It's Aang. Can I come in a minute?" he asked.

"Sure," came her reply and a section of thick wall parted like a curtain to admit him.

He walked through the thick dust that fell around him, bending it away with a little cough as he reached the other side.

"Have a seat," Toph offered, waving another lounge chair up from the ground.

Aang sat, surprised by how comfortable it was. "Hey, this is nice," he exclaimed. "How do you make them so cushiony?"

"It's all in the wrist," Toph replied.

Aang looked over at Zuko who lay on his own lounge, his eyes closed, looking for all the world like he was sunbathing on the beach rather than recuperating from a serious illness. "How are you doing?" he asked.

"Okay," Zuko replied, opening his eyes. "Much better."

"Feel like traveling yet?" Aang asked.

"Yes," Zuko instantly replied.

"No," Toph countermanded firmly. "Give it at least a couple of days, Sparky," she said as she reached out toward him. "You know what will happen if you push too fast."

"I'll get better faster in Omashu," Zuko replied firmly and went so far as to sit up on the edge of the chair.

"Fine," Toph agreed, standing up. "We'll go back to Omashu."

Zuko sat there for another moment before finally sinking back into his chair in exhaustion, a serious frown on his face.

Toph looked down at him sympathetically. "Another day or so, maybe?" she asked quietly.

Zuko nodded weakly.

"Okay, baby, we'll give it another day or so," Toph agreed sweetly.

Aang felt so sorry for him. He vividly recalled how he'd felt after Ba Sing Se so many years ago. He'd been so weak and so angry about being so weak. Maybe Toph had the right idea to keep him separated from the rest of the group. Not only would he be ill-tempered, but watching the rest of them be healthy would only make it worse.

"I'm headed out to pick up some extra supplies and to let Sokka and Suki know we're all okay," Aang said, rising from his surprisingly comfortable seat. "Any special requests?"

"Just something good to eat that does not involve catgator," Toph replied with a smile. "And how about some some ginger candy?"

Aang agreed and hopped back over the wall in a puff of air. Within moments, he and Appa were sailing out of sight toward Omashu.

When lunchtime rolled around, Toph dropped a section of wall to let everyone come in and join them for the meal. She did, however, see that Zuko was properly clothed again. She wasn't kidding about not letting Mai and Katara ogle him. She knew how good her husband looked. There was no need to tempt fate.

"Toph, would you mind taking a short walk with me after lunch?" Jet asked. "I'd like to be sure we'll stay undisturbed up here. The path runs through a narrow canyon. It wouldn't be hard at all for you to block it."

"Sure," Toph replied, then looked over at Zuko. "Do you mind, Sparky? I won't be gone long."

But Zuko was asleep again. Toph took his bowl from his hands and made sure he was comfortable.

"Don't worry about him," Katara said quietly. "We'll keep an eye on him until you get back."

Toph nodded and followed Jet out of her courtyard and onto a little rough path that led back down the mountain. The going was pretty easy at first, then they approached what Toph immediately saw as some very unstable shale.

"Be really careful here," Jet said, reaching out a hand to help her. "The ground is very loose."

"I appreciate your concern," Toph began with a smile, "but don't worry about me. At least not where the earth is concerned." With Toph's small gesture, a walking path appeared before them, its surface as smooth and solid as a ballroom floor.

"My deepest apologies," Jet said with an impressed laugh. "I am not used to traveling with someone who can change the terrain to suit her."

"I don't make it a habit of changing the terrain," Toph replied, a little miffed. "And when we leave, this shale field will be just like we found it. I just can't have you sliding to the bottom of it and breaking your leg, that's all. You are too big for me to carry."

"How do you know how big I am?" Jet teased in return.

"I can see you perfectly well and you know it," Toph replied as they traversed the slope.

"Then you know if we're truly alone up here," he surmised as they reached the bottom where a narrow canyon opened before them.

"We are alone," Toph said and turned slowly to take in the landscape. "Except for a cute family of prairie mice living in a burrow under that grassy knob, a bunch of assorted insects, including several scorpionspiders"--she shuddered at that-- "and some birds that just landed on that ledge overhead."

Jet whistled in appreciation of her gift. "Then let's see about finding some dinner. What are you in the mood for?" he asked.

"Anything but catgator," she answered then watched in curiosity as Jet pulled his sword out of its sheath and stuck it into the dirt beside him. Then he placed his hand on the pommel lightly and closed his eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Listening for dinner," he answered softly. "It's a trick I learned from Sokka, surprisingly enough."

"Sokka puts his ear to the hilt to hear the vibrations," Toph replied. "And usually without much success. How are you listening with your hand?"

Jet just stood there a second with his hand still lightly resting on the hilt of the sword, his head tilted slightly. Then he looked up at her. "Dinner—that way," he said firmly, pointing into the canyon.

Toph followed him curiously as he walked down the trail, stopping after a few minutes where a vine grew out of the wall. He gave it a tug, but when it wouldn't budge, he knelt before it to dig it out with his fingers.

If he hadn't looked so happy about finding the huge cassavayam, she'd have just earthbended it free of the canyon wall. However, she could tell Jet was so pleased with himself that she just let him have his moment.

When the root finally came free in a shower of sand and dirt, she was very impressed with the size of it. And seriously confused as to how he'd found it.

"Looks delicious," she said, bending the remaining dirt off the surface—and off of Jet.

"It will be once it's baked and covered in butter and honey," he replied, rising from the ground to heft the large root over his shoulder. "The mooselions usually keep the vines eaten down to the ground. Makes them harder to find."

They began to walk back up the trail. "About finding them," Toph began, but Jet cut her off as he gestured to the canyon around them.

"This is the spot that would be the easiest to block. A fake rockslide will cut off anybody trying to get up this way, but won't look suspicious," he suggested.

Toph looked around and agreed. Very little destabilization had to be done to the rocks on the hillside to send several large boulders down into the canyon to block the trail. She tweaked the placement of a few of them to make sure they would stay in place, then turned back to Jet.

"As I was saying," she continued firmly, "how did you find that root?"

Jet began to walk up the trail, his head down in thought. At last he spoke up, "I'm not exactly sure how it works," he began. "Sokka showed me how to amplify vibrations with a knife years ago, but after I found this sword, I realized that it amplified something other than vibrations."

Toph listened intently. Sokka's meteor sword had many unusual properties, she recalled. Not the least of which was that it was very bendable for her.

"So how do you hear this other thing it amplifies?" she asked curiously.

"It's a kind of listening," he replied slowly, "but not with the ears. I'm listening with my whole self." Then he shook his head. "It sounds crazy, I know," he laughed, "but I don't know how many times I've heard an ambush ahead of me or a group of bandits behind me. Not to mention finding dinner," he laughed, shrugging off his self-consciousness.

Toph stopped in front of him, placing her hand on his arm. "Jet, it's not crazy," she said firmly. "It's earthbending. You're hearing the earth with an earthbending sense. I thought you said you weren't a bender."

"I'm not," he replied uneasily. "I can't do anything even remotely like what you and Aang can do. All I can do is get little hints about what's ahead or behind or growing or roaming around me."

"That's the first thing I learned to do when I was little," Toph replied softly. "I learned to listen to what the earth had to say to me. Benders who only learn to manipulate the earth never understand the heart of earthbending."

She pulled him over toward a convenient rock and sat down on it, and when he hesitated, she pulled him down next to her. "Put down the cassavayam," she ordered, "and look at me."

"Jet," she began once she had his full attention, "you are an earthbender. More than that, you've discovered on your own what most earthbenders never understand. They see earthbending as power, as strength, but fail to see the connection between themselves and the earth."

She looked around her. "We are all part of the earth. Everything is connected to it. Even birds have to land," she said as a large falconhawk touched his feet down onto the peak far above them. "The earth has so much to tell us—not only about where things are and what they are doing, but also about our own actions and how they effect the world around us."

"When you can listen to what the earth has to tell you, you understand neutral jing—not just the attack or the retreat--but the waiting, the pause between thought and action," she said. Then she gave him a long searching look. "Does any of this make sense?"

Jet looked back at her intently. "Not really," he replied.

Toph heard his words, but also heard his heart. He was lying. He understood exactly what she meant. He was just avoiding the discussion—why, she didn't know.

As they rose to walk back to the cave, he pondered her words. He never had any idea that what he did was some kind of earthbending trick, he tried to tell himself.

Then he upbraided himself for the lie. He knew that what he did was a kind of bending. He just tried not to think of it that way. For too many years, the question of what kind of bender would he have been had nagged at the back of his mind.

For too many years, he'd told himself that it was pointless to even wonder what he could have done with his talent if things had been different. That was water under the bridge. Just another thing the Fire Nation had taken from him when they took his parents, his childhood, his home.

For a moment, all the old resentment surged again inside him—resentment against the nation whose soldiers had robbed him of everything, whose prince had gotten him imprisoned and nearly killed, whose attack had separated him from the only friends he'd had left, whose departure had left nothing but desolation and chaos.

Nearly every bad thing that had ever happened to him, nearly every bad situation he'd ever been in could be laid directly or indirectly at the Fire Nation's door.

Then he thought of Zuko—lying sick and weak back at his hideout. He'd heard about how hard Zuko and his uncle were working to make amends with the rest of the world, how committed they were to peace for everyone.

And Zuko was even committed to making peace on a personal level. Not only had he apologized to Jet for the past, he'd shown how human he could be when he'd risked his life for Toph and when he'd entrusted her to Jet's care.

Then Jet's thoughts turned to Mai. Since leaving the swamp it had been easier to treat her like one of the group, but she wasn't just one of the group. He found himself constantly looking for her, keeping her in view, watching her.

There was something about this girl—this woman—so capable, so fierce, but so vulnerable at a level she took great pains to hide. He couldn't deny the attraction between them, the little thrill that ran through him whenever they touched. He could tell she was holding back—on him, on the entire group.

She was Fire Nation. She'd actually helped Princess Azula conquer Ba Sing Se. That much he knew. But there was so much he didn't know about her.

And as embarrassed as he was to admit it, he wanted to know everything. At least he'd be able to remember her when all this was over and they'd gone back to their lives.

As they walked back into camp, Toph immediately went back to Zuko's side, shooing Mai and Katara out of the courtyard. "Sorry, ladies, but Sparky needs more sun time."

As she sealed the courtyard with a wave, Jet carried the large orange cassavayam over to the firepit and built up the fire, dragging out some good coals for baking.

Katara went into the cave to see what kind of spices were stored inside as Jet walked over to a large bananachestnut tree to cut off some of the large leaves. He softened the leaves in the fire, then rolled them around the cassavayam, tucking it into the coals he'd pulled aside. Mai watched him with interest.

The afternoon passed quietly, peacefully. As the sun began to set, Toph dropped her earthen courtyard walls with a small cloud of dust that settled too quickly. Zuko walked out of the clearing under his own power, but only barely. He managed to get to the low seat Toph bended for him next to the firepit, but trembled a little as he sank into it.

"How are you feeling?" Katara and Mai asked almost simultaneously. Katara immediately brought out a crystal blue orb of water, but Zuko waved them both away.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he answered a little testily.

They wisely gave him some space, joining Toph in the cave—probably to talk about him, Jet guessed sardonically.

"It stinks, I know," Jet offered sympathetically. "I've done my time getting over stuff. It's never easy. Especially when somebody's fussing over you."

"Yeah," Zuko replied, clearly tired.

Jet rolled the large cassavayam over in its bed of coals. It would be ready soon. He was really looking forward to it. He hoped Aang thought to bring some butter—otherwise, they'd just have to eat it with honey alone. Which wouldn't be bad. It just wouldn't be as good as it would be with butter.

Then he felt Appa touch down. He felt all heavy and furry. It was interesting. "Aang's back," he heard Toph call. Then she announced, "And he's brought company!" just as Jet felt them hop to the ground.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Jet watched as three small children came running toward the firepit. Katara knelt down to embrace a little grey-eyed toddler as he ran to her. "Bumi! How did you get here?" she asked in a teasing voice.

"We flew on Appa with Uncle Aang!" a little blue-eyed girl chimed in. Toph and Mai came out of the cave just as Aang walked up with another couple. It only took a moment for Jet to see the blue eyed kid with a ponytail there inside the man in blue, his dark hair pulled back with a leather tie just like always, only without the shaved section.

"Sokka!" Jet exclaimed, rising to offer his hand. Sokka reached forward to take his forearm in a strong grip.

"It's good to see you again," Sokka began with a wide grin. "I mean it—we thought you were a goner for sure. I'm glad to see you alive!" Then he turned to the beautiful young woman standing beside him. "This is my wife, Suki. Suki, this is Jet."

Jet gave her a very respectful bow, and she responded in kind. "It is very nice to meet you, Jet," she said with a smile.

"The pleasure is mine," he responded suavely.

"All right, enough pleasantries," Sokka rejoined, putting his arm possessively around Suki and glancing around at the rest of the group. "Hey, Zuko! How are you making it? Aang said you've had a pretty rough time lately."

"I'm fine," Zuko answered, rising to greet them.

"Hey, don't get up on our account, buddy," Sokka assured him. Jet noticed that Zuko made a real effort to stand as long as he could, but soon was seated again.

Everyone gathered around to exchange hugs and greetings, the children crawling over whoever's lap was closest. Aang and Sokka brought out a huge load of food, bedding, and other supplies.

"Looks like you've brought enough gear to stay a month," Toph exclaimed.

"We are not staying here a month," Zuko answered firmly. "Two days at the most." Toph didn't comment.

"Aang, did you think to get me some ginger candy?" she asked. Aang passed her a small package. Toph shook a piece out into her hand and began to suck on it gratefully.

"I went to see Longshot and Smellerbee," Aang said, sitting next to Jet. "They were really glad you're okay and said to tell you that when you get back they're planning a little get together."

"Yeah," Sokka interjected. "When I told them that the Duke fished with me, they got really excited. So we borrowed a hawk from Mai's major domo and sent out a message to the Duke to come up to Omashu. He's going to stop at Madame Wu's and pick up Pipsqueak on the way." Then Sokka turned to Mai, "Hope you don't mind us borrowing your hawks."

"No, I don't mind," Mai responded easily.

"So when will the Duke and Pipsqueak get to Omashu?" Jet asked with interest. He hadn't seen them in forever. The Duke wouldn't be a kid anymore. He'd be a grown man. Jet wondered if he'd even recognize him.

"They ought to be here sometime in the next couple of weeks," Sokka replied. "Longshot and Smellerbee decided to stay in the city and wait for them. Smellerbee was really excited."

"I bet she was," Jet replied. The rest of the group began to chat around him as he considered the prospect of a reunion of the Freedom Fighters. It had been such a long time ago when they'd broken up.

After their first run-in with Aang, Katara, and Sokka over flooding the village, Pipsqueak and the Duke along with several others had decided not to stay with him. Apparently, the sight of the flooded village and the thoughts that all those people would have died at their hands had made a serious impact on them.

He'd been pretty angry at the time at what he'd seen as their betrayal of him and of the cause they'd fought for. But before long, he'd begun to realize that they were right. By the time he'd decided to make a new start in Ba Sing Se, only Longshot and Smellerbee still stood beside him. Smellerbee stayed because she was in love with him and Longshot stayed because he was in love with her.

But at the time he'd been too wrapped up in himself to see any of it. It was only after nearly dying at Lake Laogai, that he'd truly begun to value the friendships he had. And to regret the ones he'd lost.

Out of everybody in the group that had chosen to leave, seeing the Duke walk away from him had hurt the most. They'd all raised each other, but the Duke was different. Jet had found him in a burned out village when he was only a baby, barely walking.

A few years later when Pipsqueak joined them, he and the Duke became like brothers—weird brothers, but brothers. But as the leader of the group Jet had always been the closest thing the Duke had to a parent. Now, he was coming back. Jet wondered what he'd say to him.

Around the fire, everyone was so relaxed. This group had managed to stay together—to even bring more people in. Mai was now one of their number, and maybe in a small way, so was he.

Just down from him, Sokka's wife Suki asked Toph for a piece of her candy. "That stuff is so good for morning sickness," she sighed. "I don't know how I'd make it without it."

Toph just gave her a little grin and passed her the bag. "Wait a minute," Suki began suspiciously. "I practically lived off this stuff when I was pregnant with Toma. You've gone through at least three pieces already. Is there something you ought to tell us?"

"No, not really," Toph replied easily. "I just love this stuff. Zuko got me hooked on it."

Then Jet saw Zuko frown a little.

"Guys, I think dinner is about ready," Aang announced.

Jet reached out to roll the cassavayam out of the coals to cool as the rest of the crew began to make preparations for dinner. Without intending to, he began to listen in on Toph and Zuko as they talked.

"Why didn't you tell them?" Zuko asked Toph quietly.

"We haven't had a chance to talk about it ourselves yet, Sparky," Toph replied. "I wasn't sure if you even remembered."

"Of course I remembered, sweetie," Zuko answered, caressing her cheek with his hand. "You go ahead and tell them if you want to." Then Toph leaned forward to give him a soft kiss and a huge hug.

Once the group had settled again to eat, Toph looked up at Zuko, a question in her eyes. Then Zuko nodded and reached out to take her hand.

"Okay, Suki, you guessed it. We're expecting!" Toph shrieked joyfully.

Jet thought he'd go deaf for a second at Suki's squeal of joy. Mai also beamed happily for them, but didn't resort to squealing. Katara must have known already because she just gave them a happy smile of her own.

"That's great!" Sokka boomed. "Big Daddy Zuko, how crazy is that?"

"It's not a bit crazy, Sokka," Suki exclaimed, giving him a light clout on the shoulder. "Zuko is going to be a wonderful father."

Sokka laughed. "Man, I remember when Suki was pregnant with Zutara. I was scared to death. I kept making these lists of everything I had to teach the baby. How to fish, how to make winter clothes, how to tie knots. I thought I'd go crazy."

"Then poor Toma came along," Suki said with a grin. "A boy! Sokka had a warrior's wolf tail shaved into his hair before he was two hours old. He's had his ice-dodging ceremony planned forever."

"It's never to early to plan," Sokka retorted sagely. Then he looked across the fire. "So, Zuko," he continued, stretching back to put his arm around Suki, "what kind of Fire Nation traditions have you got planned for this little one?"

Zuko looked a bit taken aback. "I hadn't really thought about it," he replied.

"Surely, there's some big father/son deal you guys do—like going ice-dodging," Sokka continued. He gave Toma's wolf-tail a little flick.

"I guess there is," Zuko replied uneasily. "I haven't given it much thought."

"Well, it's never too early to plan these things. Aang, have you got something special for Bumi? Some airbender ceremony?" Sokka asked curiously.

"We have this solo flight we go on. But it's more of a master/student thing than a father/son thing," Aang replied as he peeled the hot skin off his piece of cassavayam. "But I guess I'll still be the one to take Bumi—unless maybe Teo does part of his glider instruction. For a guy who's technically not an airbender, Teo sure can fly."

"Jet? Earth kingdom?" Sokka pressed on around the fire on his apparent quest for cultural enlightenment.

"I don't really know of anything. My growing up wasn't exactly traditional," Jet replied. "I'll probably be a rotten father. All I know how to teach a kid is to fight dirty and hide from the authorities." He gave a self-conscious shrug and tried not to think about it.

Once everyone had eaten dinner, Jet rose out of habit to begin cleaning up the campsite. After a few minutes, he realized Sokka was at his side.

"Hey, I hope I didn't put you on the spot," Sokka began earnestly. "I wasn't trying to open old wounds or anything."

Jet assured him that he was fine.

"I think maybe I got a little too close for comfort with Zuko too," Sokka continued, glancing back over toward the fire where Zuko stared moodily into the flames. "It's easy to forget that he didn't have the easiest childhood either."

"How hard could it have been? Prince of the Fire Nation, running around all over the world," Jet replied, a touch of envy coloring his voice.

Sokka turned to look at him. "How much do you know about Zuko?"

Jet paused to think. "Actually, practically nothing. Up until a few days ago, I knew him as Li—just another refugee," he admitted.

Sokka gave him a quick history of Zuko's family history. Jet gave a little whistle of sympathy.

Off to the far side of the clearing, Toph and Aang were deep in discussion. Then Aang called out to Jet. Leaving Sokka to finish disposing of the trash, Jet walked around the fire to join them.

"Toph tells me that you're a bender," Aang began. Jet shook his head, but the avatar continued seriously. "She also says that you can hear the earth."

"That's not bending. It's just a quirky sense I've got," Jet explained. The sooner these people got the idea out of their heads that there was anything special about his little talent, the better.

But Aang wasn't dissuaded. "Jet, we've been looking for someone who can listen to the earth. Someone who understands neutral jing—the art of waiting. That someone is you," Aang stated firmly, fixing Jet with his cool, gray gaze.

"Whatever you guys need to do, surely Toph can handle it," Jet replied, backing away as graciously as he could. "She's a much better listener than I am, not to mention the best earthbender in the world."

"Jet, this is a job I can't do," Toph replied evenly.

"Okay," Jet replied cautiously, "just what kind of job is it? There's not much I'm good for, but I guess I can do a little listening for you."

Aang looked him squarely in the eye and told him.

Across the fire Zuko looked up as he heard Jet yell, "You've got to be kidding!"

"No, we're not," Toph said firmly, placing one hand on Jet's arm.

Jet shook it off, putting Zuko on alert. Nobody treated his wife roughly. But Jet just turned and walked back into the cave and began stuffing his things into his pack.

"Jet, wait a minute," Aang said as he approached the angry mercenary. "Just hear us out."

"Hear what out?" Jet snapped. "You two are insane. There's no way I could be king of Omashu."

All around the cave, voices stopped as everyone took in what he'd just said. Jet looked around and gestured to where five pairs of eyes stared at him in amazement. "See?" he retorted sharply. "They all think that is the most ridiculous thing they've ever heard."

"Wait just a minute," Sokka interjected. "Surprise does not equal ridicule."

Jet turned to face him. "So, you think I'm actually qualified to be the next king of Omashu," he stated sarcastically.

"If Toph and Aang think you're the guy, I have to trust their judgment," Sokka replied. Katara and Suki nodded in agreement.

"Then you're all nuts!" Jet cried in exasperation. "There's no way I could be a king—not of Omashu, not of anything. People are born kings. Like Zuko here. He was born to be Fire Lord. I was born to be a nobody. My parents were farmers."

"King Bumi wasn't born king," Aang stated evenly. "He was just an ordinary kid when I knew him. But he was chosen to be king because he listened to the earth."

"Then surely there's some noble's son out there who can do it," Jet retorted. He turned to Mai. "You know everybody who's anybody in Omashu. Help them find somebody born for the job."

Mai just looked at him sadly.

Aang took another step forward toward Jet. "Maybe you were born for the job. Maybe it's your destiny."

At the word destiny, Zuko could feel himself bristle. That word had dealt him nothing but misery his entire life. First, it was his destiny to find the avatar and kill him. Then, it was his destiny to help the avatar. Now it was his destiny to be Fire Lord one day. To bring his children up to follow him in fulfilling their own destinies. He had too many destinies.

But Jet apparently didn't have enough, as he shouted, "I don't have a destiny. Great people have destinies. I don't."

"Everyone has a destiny, Jet," Aang answered softly. "We all have a higher purpose."

"Oh, yeah," Jet snapped, "then let me tell you about destinies. My parents didn't have a destiny. They died when they were only a year or two older than I am now. What about the man who killed them? What was his destiny? To kill my parents? What about Fire Lord Ozai? What was his destiny? To send him there to do it?"

Zuko shivered. Jet was right. His father's destiny had been to rule the world with Azula at his side. His great-grandfather's destiny had been to destroy all the Air Nomads—to wipe them from the face of the planet and to begin a war that would last over a hundred years and end hundreds of thousands of lives.

Zuko looked up into the face of yet another victim of his family's destiny. "I'm so sorry," he said.

"You ought to be," Jet replied savagely. "Look at the harm the Fire Nation's destiny did to the entire world."

"Hey, leave Zuko out of this," Toph snapped. "This is about you—not about him."

"It's about being a king," Jet retorted angrily. "Maybe--despite everything--Zuko's still got a destiny that will help him do a good job as king. He was born to do it. But not me." Then he looked up at the group, his dark emerald eyes flashing as he repeated, "I don't have a destiny."

When several voices chimed in to contradict him, Zuko stood and shouted, "Leave him alone. Let him make up his own mind about this. Maybe that's his destiny—to actually get to decide for himself what his destiny is!"

Then he walked down the path as far as he could before his legs gave out and he had to sit again. Cursing his weakness, he sat there on the hard, rocky ground and tried to catch his breath.

Away from the fire, the night air was a little chilly. He tried to bend a little heat into himself, but without luck. He barely had the energy to sit up, much less bend. He was almost too tired to be angry—almost.

After a few moments, Toph sat down next to him. She had a blanket across her shoulders. "Want to get under with me?" she asked.

He shook his head no. It would do him good to get cold.

They sat together a few more minutes, and despite his best efforts not to, he began to shiver. Without a word, she pulled the blanket around him as well and scooted over close, her hand on his knee.

Sometimes he wondered if his talented, lively wife wasn't some kind of earthbending healer. Her touch seemed to draw part of the anger away from him. He sighed.

"Are you sure you want to be with me?" he asked her as he put his arm around her and leaned his cheek into her hair.

"Of course I do," she said. "You're the most wonderful man in the world. Why wouldn't I want to be with you?"

Zuko sighed. He knew a thousand reasons why she would be better off to run from him as fast as she could. But instead of running away, she came to sit with him. She wanted to be with him. She was having his baby.

What kind of destiny would that baby have? What purpose would he find for his life? Was there something about the blood that ran in his veins—the blood of tyrants, of murderers—that would make him follow a destiny of conquest? Of war?

Uncle had tried to teach Zuko all his life about another destiny—one that didn't involve conquest. And at long last, he'd listened to him.

But what about this baby? How could Zuko ever measure up to Uncle? How could he be wise enough and good enough to teach this baby how to pursue his other destiny?

And what would that destiny be?

Back at the fire, Jet had watched Zuko storm away—as far as he was able to make it. Now he felt bad. He hadn't meant to react that way. They'd just taken him so completely by surprise.

"You people have a very warped idea of destiny," Aang was saying sadly, almost to himself.

Jet just walked to the fire and sat back down, his head in his hands. Someone sat next to him. He glanced up to see that it was Mai.

"So, big news, huh?" she asked dryly. "You seemed thrilled."

Jet couldn't help but laugh. "I noticed that you didn't immediately chime in that it was my destiny," he replied.

"I don't make those kinds of decisions for people," she said. "I agree with Aang. You people have a very warped idea of what destiny actually is."

"So, fill me in," he stated, turning to face her fully. "Just what is destiny?"

"Your destiny is your higher purpose, not just your big plans for your life," she began. "We all have a destiny. But most people don't ever pursue it. They're too scared, too greedy, too shallow, or just too busy to bother."

"How do you even know what it is, then?" he found himself asking.

"When you quit looking at yourself and what you want and you start looking at other people and what they need, you find your destiny," she replied easily. "Like I said, most people aren't able to take their eyes off themselves and their own lives and their own needs."

She looked into the fire for a moment, then said, "It's kind of funny though. When you start working toward your destiny by looking around you, all the things to worry about in your own life seem to just work out on their own."

Jet looked at her, impressed. "I had no idea you were such a philosopher," he said with a little grin. "So just how did you find your destiny?"

Mai looked out across the fire and into the darkness where Zuko sat next to Toph. "I got my first glimpse of my destiny when I realized how much I loved Zuko," she answered quietly.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Jet's heart sank at her words. Mai had admitted that she loved Zuko. He knew they were friends, but he had no idea she felt that way about him. And worse, Zuko was clearly in love with Toph. He felt bad for himself, but he felt worse for Mai.

"Oh," he heard himself say.

Mai looked into the fire for a moment, then back up at Jet, her eyes serious. "Several years ago, Zuko was in danger and I knew I could either help him or watch him die. But if I helped him, his sister would probably kill me. I had a choice to make." Then she sat back and sighed.

"It wasn't so much that I was in love with Zuko, even though I was. It was more that I got a picture of what I would become if I didn't help him. I didn't want to be the kind of person who could watch someone they loved die a horrible death when I could do something about it. If I hadn't helped him, I would have truly become a monster. Like Azula was. He was her brother and she was ready to kill him. I was her friend and she was ready to kill me."

Mai shivered a little at the memory. "Anyway, that was the moment I knew what I had to do. No matter what it meant for me, I had to help him—all of them. I think Ty Lee realized the same thing. We had to stand up against Azula and do what we knew was right."

"So what happened?" Jet asked curiously.

"Zuko, Sokka, and Suki got away, and Ty Lee and I got thrown into prison," she answered.

"That stinks," Jet responded sympathetically.

"Actually, it all worked out great," Mai replied with a smile. "I got three days in a private cell—which was heaven compared to spending all my time with Azula and Ty Lee, then once Azula left, my uncle sprang me."

At Jet's look of confusion, she added, "My uncle was the warden," in explanation.

"Meanwhile, Ty Lee got sent to the same prison as the Kyoshi Warriors where she met up with Suki's group and actually became a Kyoshi Warrior herself. She's on Kyoshi Island right now training a new group of girls. She loves it," Mai concluded.

"So Suki is a Kyoshi Warrior?" Jet asked, incredulously. "How in the world did Sokka ever manage to land a girl like that?"

"Got me," Mai answered with a casual wave of her hand. Then she thought for a moment. "It could have something to do with the fact that he risked his life to rescue her from prison. That would tend to make points with a girl."

Jet couldn't help but laugh. Then he leaned forward, resting on his knees, then back again. Then he turned to face her.

"So, you and Zuko," he began, then abruptly looked away from her, as if he didn't really want to hear her answer.

Mai was gratified that he was concerned about her current feelings for Zuko. She thought of dragging it out, playing him along a little, but decided that she was more mature than that and chose to be honest.

"Zuko and I dated for a while, but it just didn't work out between us. He has a tendency to take things too seriously," Mai offered. "I'm looking for a guy with a good sense of humor since I'm such a fun-loving kind of girl," she continued in a completely serious tone of voice.

Jet looked at her for a second, then burst into laughter. She gave him a smile in return then studied him out of the corner of her eye as he shook his head and poked at the fire, still laughing.

Jet was tall, taller than her by at least six inches. He was built strong but lean. She watched as he leaned back against the back of the bench Toph had created, stretching his long legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankle. Still smiling, he fiddled with a twig he pulled from a firelog, rolling it in his fingers idly.

In the swamp, he'd seemed distracted, impulsive, a little dreamy at times. But here, he was all business, like he had his feet back on the ground. Which, she guessed, was a pretty accurate way to look at it. She was glad she'd gotten to see that other side of him because she figured that most of the time he was a pretty practical kind of guy.

As she watched him, she had to admit there was something about him that drew her to him. Maybe it was his ready laugh, maybe it was the economical way he moved—as if every action counted.

Maybe it was the storm that seemed to run under the surface, ready to break out at any second into action, laughter, anger, flirtation.

Maybe it was the fact that he had a sense of humor.

Maybe it was the fact that he was absolutely gorgeous.

Whatever it was, she felt like a mothfly drawn to a flame. She might get burned but she couldn't resist getting closer.

Back in the cave, Aang and Katara sat with Sokka and Suki, all four watching the two couples outside with interest.

"So, Aang, what do you think? Will he do it?" Sokka asked as he attempted to put a very sleepy, but very wired Toma to bed.

"I don't know," Aang replied. "I hope so. I think maybe Jet really was born to be king of Omashu." Then he looked around at the rest of the group. "But I won't say that out loud to him again," he concluded with a wry laugh.

Suki glanced out into the darkness. "Jet seems pretty resilient to me. It's Zuko I'm worried about. Is he really okay?" she asked.

Aang and Katara looked at each other. "I don't know that either," Aang ventured.

"Physically, he's exhausted," Katara added, "but he's on edge emotionally as well."

"Moody is what I'd call it," Sokka offered. "Forced bedrest has a tendency to do that to a person."

"I'd say," Suki laughed. "I remember when you caught the polar flu last year. You were so ill-tempered."

"No, I wasn't," Sokka retorted, "I was a very easygoing patient. You're the one who gets cranky when you're sick."

"No, she isn't," came Zutara's sweet voice. "Daddy, you're like a big walrusbear when you feel bad."

"You tell him, sweetheart," Suki laughed.

Sokka laughed despite his best effort to look stern, then announced, "Bedtime for little ones. Not another peep out of any of you."

Then as he and Suki gave their children goodnight kisses, Katara glanced over where Bumi was already sound asleep, his chubby arm curled around his stuffed sky bison. The adults quietly moved back out of the cave and rejoined Mai and Jet at the fire.

Within moments Zuko and Toph had also returned and the group gave conversation another try. This time, the topic of the kingship of Omashu was carefully avoided.

Toph kept a careful earthbending eye on Zuko and before long decided that he would be better off in bed. So she yawned. "I'm pooped. Sparky, are you ready to turn in?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Sure, if you are," he replied. Slowly, he stood and they walked into the cave together, Toph at his side, in case he needed help, but very discreetly. The last thing she wanted to project was the idea that Zuko needed her assistance—even though he did.

Back on Tuzai Island, Su-lin had told her to always be sure Zuko knew he had her respect. Most of the time that was very easy. Her husband was a thoughtful, confident, intelligent, and extremely capable person, and she loved him beyond reason and admired him for everything he was and everything he would be.

But right then, Toph knew just how close to the edge he was--so weak, so sick. It was hard not to baby him when he needed it so badly. But she knew she had to be especially careful with how she took care of him in front of the others.

Sometimes Zuko's pride was a very fragile thing. She didn't really understand all the reasons why, but a little persistent undercurrent of guilt and self-doubt seemed to run through him. Guilt over things he'd done or not done, shame over the crimes committed by his family, worry that he still didn't measure up to some mysterious standard. And no amount of reassurance from her or Iroh seemed to get through to him.

Jet's anger at the Fire Nation would eat at Zuko for days, Toph feared. She didn't blame Jet for being angry, even though she had snapped at him. She just wished her husband was better able to distance himself from the actions of his family members. She wished he didn't feel so compelled to carry the burden of their sins as well as his own.

They turned out of sight of the rest of the group into a little side alcove where she'd set up their bedding, and she finally gave in to putting her arm around him, for herself as much as to give him the support he truly needed.

"I'm okay," he said a little testily.

"I know you are, Sparky," she replied patiently.

Slowly, he managed to get himself ready for bed, but she could see that the effort wore him out and probably caused a massive headache, judging from the wrinkles in his brow and the tightness in his breathing.

He lay down facing away from her, but she curled up against him anyway. He was still cooler to the touch than she liked. Within a few moments, exhaustion had taken over and he was asleep.

She lay next to him, trying to warm him with her own body heat, running the ends of his hair through her fingertips.

After a while, Katara walked back to check on the children and Toph called her over with a whisper. After another quick check to be sure Zuko was still sleeping, Toph asked Katara to work a little healing on his headache.

Katara swirled the healing waters around his head, then with a little frown, sent them down his back as Toph moved away to give her room to work.

Within moments, Zuko's breathing became easier and his heartrate slowed to his true resting rate, and Toph knew her instincts had been right. He'd been hurting and didn't want her to know. Once again, she cursed that foolish pride of his, that need for self-sufficiency.

"Thank you," she mouthed to Katara as the waterbender rose, deftly bending her water back into the waterskin.

"Can I talk to you?" Katara whispered in return.

Toph nodded and slipped away from Zuko, pulling the blanket securely around his shoulders and tucking her pillow against him for warmth. Then she followed Katara back outside.

They moved a little distance away from the rest of the group and Katara said, "Toph, I want Aang to take a look at Zuko."

"Why?" Toph asked. A cool wind blew across the open portico and she shivered a little.

"Do you remember when Azula shot Aang and the lightning blocked his chi so he couldn't go into the avatar state?" Katara asked seriously.

"Yes," Toph replied uneasily. Where was she going with this?

"I got a similar feeling from Zuko when I checked him earlier today, and got it again right now," Katara continued. "Like his chi isn't flowing right. That may be why he's not getting better as fast as Dei Zi thought he should."

"What are you saying, Katara?" Toph asked, now actively worried.

"I think his chi is blocked in some way," Katara replied, putting a comforting hand on Toph's arm. Her hand felt very warm. "Have you noticed anything?"

Toph thought for a moment. "Well, he still seems cold to me," she ventured cautiously. "Even in the sunshine his skin still felt cooler than it ought." Then she directed a glance up at Katara and said, "But the sunlight was definitely good for him. He really began to wake up once he'd soaked in some rays."

"I agree," Katara replied soothingly. "But still can feel a snag of some kind in his energy flow. Not as bad as with Aang, but something is there, holding it back from flowing fully."

"What could it possibly be?" Toph wondered aloud. "Did Lian Shen do something to him in the spirit world?" Anger and suspicion ran through her so strongly that the ground beneath her cracked a little.

Katara must have noticed because she held her hand up before her in a placating gesture. "No, no," she said insistently. "I think it was the venom that did it. I don't think it's a spirit thing."

"Venom?" Toph scoffed. "How? Chi is a spirit thing, an energy thing."

"But with a physical component," Katara explained. "Azula's lightning damaged Aang's body, interfering with one of his chakras. And Ty Lee could knock out a person's bending ability by punching strategic points on the body. I think the venom has interfered in some way with Zuko's energy flow."

Toph looked down at the ground and casually healed the crack beneath her feet. "For how long?" she asked.

"I don't know," Katara answered seriously. "The sunlight made a difference. I think we need to be sure he gets plenty of exposure to the sun. And maybe Aang will have some insights into things from a more spiritual perspective."

Toph nodded and went back into the cave. Zuko had rolled over, wrapping his arms around her pillow. She lay down beside him and attempted to free it from his grasp so she could take its place.

"Where did you go?" he asked sleepily.

"Bathroom," she answered, not happy with the lie, but also not ready to tell her already grouchy husband that he might be sicker than they thought.

He pulled her close to him, settling his arm around her waist, one hand spreading across her belly.

"When will I be able to feel him moving?" Zuko asked softly.

"Not for a good while," Toph replied.

"I want to feel him move so I'll know he's okay in there," he said with a yawn.

"He's okay," Toph answered with all the reassurance she could manage. "I'm taking good care of him for you."

"And I'm going to take good care of you for him," he responded seriously. "I promise."

"I know you will, baby," she replied gently. "You always take good care of me."

Zuko pulled the blankets up around them, tucking her in against him. "I love you. You know that, don't you?" he whispered into her ear.

"I know," she said. "Good night, baby."

"Which one?" he asked with a little laugh.

"Both," she giggled in return. "Good night, big baby and little baby."

He gave another contented sigh and seemed to settle peacefully against her. Secure in his arms, it was hard to believe there could be anything wrong with Zuko that a little time and sunshine wouldn't set right.

So she slept too.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Within a short time, the others decided to turn in as well, each finding their own little corner, paired off into couples--with the exception of Mai and Jet.

Toph had thoughtfully provided beds for everyone, using her own flick of the wrist to create the surprising comfort that Aang was so impressed with. The cave was large with alcoves enough for everyone to have semi-private sleeping quarters.

Mai found herself in a little alcove off to one side, out of the way of major traffic, but with a direct line of sight out of the cave and off to the fire that was burning itself down outside. Someone—probably Toph—had even bended away the stalactites that used to hang overhead, she noticed. She wondered if Jet had said something to her. She also noticed that even though her bedroll was single sized, Toph had provided a double sized bed.

Jet poked his head around the corner, causing her to blush a little for no reason whatsoever.

"Do you need anything?" he asked quietly.

"No, I don't think so," she answered, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Wow, this is surprisingly comfortable," she couldn't help but exclaim.

Jet laughed. "Toph did a great job on them, I'd say," he replied. "Well, I'm going to take first watch if you need anything."

Just then, Aang walked up. "Did I hear you say something about taking first watch?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jet answered. "I'm not sleepy anyway. Too much on my mind, I guess. I thought I'd just take the first shift and you and Sokka could fight over the others."

"We won't need a watch," Aang responded with a grin. "Check this out."

Then with a gesture, he closed up the cave entrance Toph had created, so only a little skylight remained. "Fresh air," Aang explained.

Behind him Jet could hear Mai's sharp inhale as the cave grew much darker, illumined only by the glows of scattered lamps. She didn't like caves, he remembered. "Are you okay with this?" he asked.

"Sure," she answered, but he could hear the lie in her voice.

Part concerned, part teasing, he sat next to her, put a strictly friendly arm around her shoulder, and asked, "Mai, are you afraid of the dark?"

"Of course not. I am not a child," she snapped, clearly unamused.

"Then what about this bothers you?" he continued gently, noticing that even as she snapped she did not pull away from him.

She only shivered a little in reply.

"Hey, I'll put it back like it was," Aang said genially from the doorway. "Didn't mean to make anyone uncomfortable."

"No," Mai commanded. "There's no reason to do that. I'm fine. Jet's overreacting."

"Okay," Aang acquiesced. "Then good night, all."

"Good night," they responded. As Aang's light footfalls moved further away, Jet started to get up but realized that Mai had reached out to grab a handful of his shirt.

"So, I'm overreacting," he teased, running his finger down the knuckles of her clenched fist.

She quickly let go of him and moved away. He wished he hadn't said anything.

In the sunshine, Mai was so confident, so controlled. But put her in the dark and something changed in her. It had happened in the swamp. In the daylight, she'd managed to take out nearly a dozen bandits singlehandedly and never even got a hair out of place.

But that night, she'd clung to him. Now, here in the darkness of this wonderful earthy shelter, she was edgy and nervous again.

"Hold on a minute," he said as he stood. "Let me get you a lamp, okay?"

She reached out to grab his arm as he began to walk away. "I'll be right back," he promised and she reluctantly let go of him.

It really was pretty dark in there, he realized as he began to poke through his supplies for another lamp. They'd already placed the few good ones he had and had used up all the oil in his stores to fill them.

In fact, he knew they didn't have the oil to burn them all night anyway and his searching grew more difficult as Sokka and Aang blew out the ones that lighted their areas in the back, leaving the lamp in the front of the cave as the only one still burning.

He walked over to pick that one up to move it closer to Mai's alcove. He'd see that it stayed lit all night if necessary. But as he turned to walk back toward the alcove, he nearly ran into her. She had her bedroll in her arms.

"I can't stay in there," she explained a little frantically. "It's too small. I can't breathe."

Jet looked around. Toph had created one sleeping area in the large open chamber next to his supplies. He'd sort of claimed that one for himself. "Do you want to take my spot?" he asked. "I can trade with you."

"No!" she blurted anxiously. Then after a deep breath, she added, "We don't need to trade or anything. I'll just sleep on the floor." The lamplight reflected in her eyes, which were wide open in nervousness.

"That's ridiculous," he replied. "There's no need to be uncomfortable."

He took her by the elbow and guided her to the double sized bed Toph had made for him, noticing that the stalactites had been bended away above it as well. He set down the lamp and took the bedroll from her grasp, laying it out next to his.

"There you go, a nice open space with a skylight and a lamp," he said as she lay down carefully on the far edge of the bed. "Is that better?"

"Yes," she answered reluctantly.

He sat on the other far edge and pulled off his boots. Then with a habitual check that his sword was within easy reach, he lay down with his back to hers, pulling his blankets around him.

"I don't know why this is bothering me so much. It hasn't been this bad in years. I feel so stupid," Mai whispered in the darkness. Her voice echoed a little against the walls.

He rolled over to face her. "It's not stupid at all," he whispered in reply. "Everybody has something they aren't comfortable with. Caves just aren't your thing."

She turned over to face him as well. "It's not just the cave," she admitted quietly. "You were right before. I don't like dark places."

"Why?" he asked. "There's nothing in the dark that--"

"Isn't there in the light," she finished sharply for him. "I know, I know. Like I said, I'm not a child."

"My apologies," he replied politely. "I meant no insult. So why does the dark bother you?"

She sighed and pulled her pillow under her head a little more firmly, moving herself just a bit closer to him. "I'm not sure I want to tell you. It's so silly and it happened a long, long time ago," she replied.

"Tell me," he answered. "Maybe you'll feel better when you do."

Mai took a deep breath and began to tell him of a time when she was a little girl, only seven or so, in her first year at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. She'd been fortunate enough to befriend Princess Azula within days of beginning school and had been very impressed with the princess's firebending skills. Azula, on the other hand, had been very non-impressed with Mai's lack of firebending ability.

"You just aren't trying," Azula would say. "It's not like it's hard."

During their first school break, Azula had invited Mai to come stay at the palace. She'd been thrilled to accept. On their second day there, Azula had told Mai they were going exploring. They'd wandered through the grounds until they'd come to a large storage building. Down in the basement, they'd gone into a room full of barrels and boxes.

Mai was looking into a box full of writing paper when the room went dark. She turned just in time to see the door close, cutting off the light from the hallway. "Azula!" she'd cried in fright.

Mai had run to the door, pounding on it. Underneath she could see the golden glow of a little band of lamplight. "Azula, let me out!" she'd called.

"No," had come Azula's cool answer. "You need to learn to firebend. This door locks on both sides. I hid another key in one of those boxes and wrote 'key' on the outside. All you have to do is bend enough fire to read by and find the key. It won't be hard. See you in a little while!"

Mai had watched the little band of light fade away under the door as Azula's footsteps echoed lightly down the hallway. Then the darkness had been complete.

She'd tried to bend. She'd tried with every fiber of her being to create any light at all as the ratweasels had scurried around her in the darkness, as the webs of spidermoths had broken across her face.

Then she'd decided to just open all the boxes, and she pulled recklessly at the first one, breaking her fingernails against the wooden crate top. Just as she prepared to stick her hand into the unknown, she wondered what might be inside.

She froze. What if there were knives in it? Or ratweasel traps? Her seven year old imagination had run wild with possibilities. She'd forced herself to search the box, gritting her teeth against the terror as she plunged her hand inside.

More paper.

She moved to the next one, but instead of getting easier, it got harder. Three times she started to stick her hand down into the crate, and each time her heart raced in panic.

What if there was something horrible inside? What if something reached up out of the box to grab her hand? What if a ratweasel had gotten in somehow and was just waiting to bite her finger off?

Then out of nowhere, something furry ran across her foot.

She screamed.

Then she couldn't stop screaming.

She'd screamed until her voice grew hoarse.

She'd screamed until Zuko had come to the door and unlocked it, letting in a shaft of golden yellow light that came from the palm full of fire he held in his hand.

"I guess I fell in love with him right at that moment," she admitted sheepishly. "He told me that Azula had been bragging about how she was going to teach me to firebend."

Then she sighed. "Anyway, I haven't been too fond of dark places, closed in places, or ratweasels ever since," she concluded with a shudder. "Silly, isn't it?"

"It isn't silly at all," Jet said, reaching out to pat her on the arm. "Like I said, we've all got something that bothers us."

"Even you?" she teased.

"Even me," he answered. "Now go to sleep. I'm going to leave the lamp burning and there are no ratweasels in here. Besides, you're armed."

"Always," she yawned. Then she rolled over with her back to Jet again, but in the process also placed herself even closer to him.

He tried to close his eyes and sleep. But his eyes wouldn't stay closed. Instead, he lay there in the near darkness and looked at her.

He watched as the flicker of the little flame of lamplight danced in golden-red reflection on the shiny fabric of her silk blouse.

He wondered how it would feel to place his hand on her shoulder, to touch that silky warmth.

He almost did it.

Instead he reached up to straighten his pillow and his fingers brushed against her hair as it lay spread out on the bed beside him.

She lay within a handsbreadth of him. Little tendrils of escaping hair actually lay against him, touching his shirt. He reached out to brush them lightly with a fingertip.

He thought to himself that he should be a gentleman and at least move to the edge of the bed. Or better yet, sleep on the floor himself.

Then he remembered that he wasn't a gentleman.

What the hell.

He moved closer to her, pulling her into his arms as if it were yet again the most natural thing in the world to do.

She sighed and snuggled against him.

The next morning Mai woke as Aang recreated Toph's entrance, this time as an arbor with vines that climbed in stony beauty up the walls.

Jet was not there—not anywhere in the cave as a matter of fact, she realized in confusion.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Looking out past Aang, she could see Jet at the firepit, a nice blaze already begun.

"How did you get out here?" Aang asked curiously.

"You left a skylight," Jet replied with a little grin and a gesture to a grappling hook and length of rope that lay nearby. "I woke up early and decided to get the fire going. It's a little chilly."

Mai looked beside her to see that Jet's bedroll was gone. She glanced around to see that it lay in a tidy bundle against the wall of the cave. Was he trying to protect her reputation? she wondered with a private smile.

She joined him at the fire, reaching out to warm her hands. The blaze did feel good, she had to admit. The sun was on the rise, sending pink and purple fingers of light up from the horizon.

"So, did you sleep well?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Sure. How about you?" he replied, just as easily.

"Very well, thanks," she answered.

"Good," came his friendly response. Then he stood up and picked up the kettle. "I'm going to get some fresh water. We could all probably use some tea."

"Tea sounds wonderful to me. I'll give you a hand with that," Mai offered as she stood up as well.

Aang might have given them an odd look, but neither of them noticed as they walked into the cave.

"The stream is in the far back corner," Jet warned her. "Are you sure you want to venture in that far?"

"Yes," she answered. "I'd like to see it. Katara said there was a waterfall."

Jet paused beside the lamp that had illuminated their sleeping area and picked it up to take with them, but completely failed to notice how seriously lacking in oil it had become as it burned through the night.

Quietly, they passed the alcoves where the rest of the group still slept. Soon, Jet had to light the lamp to provide illumination enough to see where to walk. Mai followed close behind him.

After a couple of turns, she began to hear the sound of falling water echoing ahead of her. The floor was a little rough and she stumbled a time or two. "You okay?" Jet asked, concern in his voice. "We can go back."

"No, I'm fine," she answered and to her surprise really meant it.

Suddenly the passageway opened up into a large room. "Here we are," Jet declared, holding the lamp up high so she could see the water pour from the ceiling.

The waterfall wasn't huge, but it was so tall she couldn't see the top of it in the dim light. Mai followed the water with her eyes to where it fell into a small deep pool there in the center of the room.

Jet handed her the lamp and knelt down beside the pool to refill the kettle.

"This is incredible," Mai breathed. "I've never seen anything like it."

"That's because you aren't a cave person," Jet laughed. "I've seen things in caves that put this to shame."

"Like what?" she asked curiously.

Jet pulled the now full kettle out of the water and set it down carefully. Then he led her to the rocky, damp cave wall.

"Do you see the way the limestone has melted away over the centuries?" he asked.

She looked where he was pointing at the wall before them and could see places that looked like melted ivory candle wax. Then she nodded.

"There's a cave on the other side of Omashu where the limestone has melted and run like this, only it's probably a hundred feet tall and a hundred feet wide. It looks like a giant frozen waterfall," he stated in a quiet voice. "I had to crawl probably half a mile on my belly to get to it. I don't think anyone else has ever seen it."

"Nothing on earth could make me crawl a half mile underground," Mai replied with a shiver. "I don't care how impressive the view was at the end."

Jet gave her a sheepish look. "I was being encouraged by the fact that the authorities were looking for me on the surface," he admitted. "A half mile underground was far preferable to ten years in prison for robbery of a Fire Nation official."

"Is that how you found this cave?" she asked with a hint of laughter in her voice. "On the run from Fire Nation officials?"

"Actually, for this one I was on the run from Earth Kingdom authorities," he sighed. "Not the time in my life I'm the proudest of." He reached out and stroked the damp wall, as if taking comfort in its solidity.

"I can appreciate that," Mai said, putting her hand on his arm. "We've all got times we aren't particularly proud of. You've probably heard all about mine."

"Honestly," Jet began, turning to face her squarely, "I really don't know much about you." Then he realized that might sound harsh and added, "I mean about you before you became representative to Omashu. I'd heard a few rumors about you helping Princess Azula take Ba Sing Se, but no details."

Mai sighed in relief. Then was surprised at the feeling. "Then let's say that as far as we're concerned, the past is a non issue," she suggested. "Everybody else in the group may know all about the skeletons in our closets, but the two of us can start fresh together--from where we are right now and not where we used to be."

"I'll agree to that," Jet replied and offered his hand to seal the bargain.

Just as she took it, the lamp sputtered a little, plunging them into brief darkness. He let go of her hand to take the lamp and adjusted the wick. "We better head back," he announced. "We're practically out of oil."

They walked back to the pool, and sure enough, just as Jet picked up the kettle, the lamp gave another sputter and went out. He set the kettle back down and tried to relight the lamp, but had no luck. He felt Mai reach out to grab the back of his shirt.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Sure," she replied. And to his surprise, it seemed to him as though she was telling the truth. "Just don't want to lose you in the dark," she explained easily. "Can you remember the way back out of here?" she asked.

"I'd rather not try," he replied. "There are a couple of places where it would be easy to wander off onto a side tunnel without being able to see the trail markings. Aang knows where we've gone. Someone will come hunting us shortly, I'm sure." His voice was reassuring.

"In the meantime, we might as well get comfortable," he added. Carefully, he placed the lamp on the ground next to the kettle. "Unfortunately, there's not really any place to sit. The floor is pretty wet."

They stood there for a minute, Mai's hand still clenching the back of his shirt. He reached out to put his arm around her shoulders, and she moved in closer to him.

Both his arms went around her then, and she rested her cheek against his shoulder, her arms around his waist. Neither of them knew what to say to the other.

After several minutes, Mai looked up to comment on how long the others were taking, but was surprised instead by the feel of Jet's hand on her cheek, then the soft touch of his lips to hers.

Maybe it was her nervousness in the dark, maybe it was the culmination of three nights she'd spent being held by him.

Maybe it was the fact that he was gorgeous.

All Mai knew was that she found herself returning his gentle kiss with a passion that surprised her. She reached up to pull him closer, her fingers in his hair, her hand reaching up to the strong muscles of his back and shoulder.

His grip tightened on her as he responded to her touch, his hand pressing her against him so tightly she could feel the buckle of his belt digging into her stomach.

All around them was darkness and the sound of rushing water. Without the benefit of sight or sound, she began to notice other details about him. She could feel his hand warm against her back as he bent to kiss her neck. He smelled like evergreen, like the forest.

She could feel the fabric of his shirt beneath her hand, the thick cotton washed to a well-worn softness—sturdy, but plain. Straightforward.

She reached up to his face, feeling a little tickle on the back of her hand as his hair fell forward around her fingers. She ran her thumb over his lips and he gave it a little kiss as it moved across them.

That little warm touch was so gentle, so innocent, but it ran through her like wildfire, igniting every nerve in her body. With a little gasp of breath, she found herself pulling at him, bringing him closer to her, kissing him with an intensity that disturbed her.

It wasn't like her to be this way, she kept thinking to herself. She was supposed to be in control of herself, of her emotions. She was not the kind of person to let circumstances get the best of her.

She was losing her head over this guy, she realized. This had to stop. But her body rebelled against her mind, as she found herself perfectly willing to continue her exploration of Jet in all his stormy, masculine glory.

Apparently he was perfectly willing as well, as she felt his hands roaming over her body and into her hair, his lips kissing her mouth, her eyes, her throat—her world devolving into one of sensation and passion in the absence of sight and sound.

Abruptly, Jet pushed her away from him, breathing raggedly. She could only feel both his hands tightly gripping her upper arms.

She stood there a moment, trying to catch her own breath, desperately missing the feel of his body against hers.

"What?" she finally managed to ask. Whether she meant what's wrong or what is it or what are you doing or what are we doing, she wasn't entirely sure.

After a few seconds more, he finally spoke. "It's okay," he said softly, giving her a friendly kiss on the forehead. "It just turns out there's more gentleman in me than I thought there was. We gotta get out of here."

Never letting go of her hand, he felt around for the lamp and passed it to her, then took the kettle and started walking.

_(AN: The cave Jet is describing is actually in North Alabama—Cathedral Caverns. It is so much more impressive than Ruby Falls (Chattanooga, TN—inspiration for the waterfall)—no dissing of Ruby Falls intended—Ruby Falls a great cave, all you Tennesseans out there. But you owe yourself a trip to Cathedral Caverns—trust me.)_


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"I thought you said it was dangerous to try to get out of here without a light," Mai said as Jet led them through the pitch blackness of the cave.

"It is," Jet replied. "But right this minute I think it might be more dangerous to stay." She could hear the teasing note in his voice. Right that moment, she wanted nothing more than to just cast caution to the winds and live dangerously.

But the reasonable part of her brain forced her to keep walking, to admit that he was right, to just enjoy the touch of his hand on hers.

But the other part of her brain really wanted to touch more than just his hand.

She blushed.

What was happening to her? She was losing all sense of perspective. She didn't know anything about this guy—this mercenary, this former bandit. Then she upbraided herself—they weren't concerned with each other's past, only the present counted with them.

In that case, she continued to reason with herself, she didn't know this mercenary, this cave explorer, this ordinary guy that Aang and Toph had picked for the next king of Omashu.

"I wish I had my sword," he grumbled under his breath as he stopped to put down the kettle and kneel on the ground.

"Why?" she asked. "What are you doing?"

Jet placed her hand on his shoulder for safekeeping, then reached down to press his palms against the floor of the cave. "I've never tried to do this without it. I don't know if it will work," he half-explained.

"If what will work? What are you doing?" she asked again in confusion, grabbing up a handful of his shirt. She tried to tell herself she wasn't nervous—she just felt better with a secure grip on him in the utter darkness.

"I'm listening to the earth," he said. "I'm going to try to feel our way back out of here."

As Jet knelt there with his hands pressed against the ground, Mai remembered everything they'd discussed about the king of Omashu. She remembered King Bumi's pronouncement when he'd declared that only the one who could hear the voice of the earth could be king.

She'd never truly understood all the things Toph and Aang in particular had discussed about earthbending and the kind of skill this was, but she'd come away understanding one fact at least. The skill that Bumi demanded was rare—rare enough that they hadn't found a soul among all the powerful earthbenders of Omashu who possessed the ability.

Maybe Jet really was the one.

After a minute or two, he stood up again, kettle in hand and began to lead her unerringly down the pitch black, winding tunnel. It was a bit unnerving, Mai thought to herself as she stumbled along against the rough floor. Jet never seemed to miss a step, but she had to feel for her footing in the complete darkness with only his sure grip on her hand for company.

They walked on a bit further and he stopped and knelt again, as if consulting a map. When he rose this time, he took the lamp from her and set it on the ground, then took both her hands in his.

"Before we get back to camp, I want to tell you something," he began quietly. For some reason, her heart gave a little skip. "I feel like I took advantage of you again," he continued. "I want you to know I'm very sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect."

Mai was a little taken aback. Where was he coming from with this? This was the second time he'd apologized to her for being disrespectful.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "Are you sorry you kissed me?"

"No!" he replied urgently. "It's just that when I'm with you, I forget who you are. You're the Fire Nation representative and I'm acting like you're just some regular girl off the street," he explained.

"So, you're treating me like a streetwalker?" she teased.

"No!" he cried again, this time in obvious distress. "That's not what I meant!" Then she laughed and she could feel his grip on her hands tighten convulsively. She wished so badly she could see him—she needed to be able to read his expression, to see what was going on in his head.

She tried to put her arms around him, but he wouldn't let go of her hands. So instead, she stepped forward as close to him as he would let her get.

"I don't know what kind of idea you have about me," she began softly, "but trust me, I am just a regular girl with a regular job. It pays pretty well, but that's mostly because King Bumi and his council are such interesting people to work with. Jun calls them a bunch of crazy old men."

He began to relax his grip, so she moved a little closer. "And you never know," she said softly, pulling her hands free to reach up to his face, "maybe I'm the one taking advantage of you." Then she pulled him in to her once again, living dangerously, her lips meeting his softly but insistently.

He returned the kiss just as insistently, and she felt his arms reaching around her again, but instead of resuming their earlier passion, he just held her quietly.

"Back in Omashu--" he began seriously, pulling away a little.

"I don't see any reason we won't be friends back in Omashu," Mai assured him, twisting her fingers into his hair where it brushed the back of his neck to be sure he didn't move any further away from her. "Just like we are here."

"So we're friends?" he half-asked, half-stated.

"I hope so," she responded.

"Just friends?" he half-asked, half-stated.

"Well, technically you're still my employee," she teased. Then before he could get his feathers ruffled, she pulled him close and kissed him again. "But I'm willing to let that go if you are."

They stood there in the darkness, her arms still around his neck, his encircling her waist. He leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. After a long moment, he spoke.

"I'm not sure I can just be your friend," he whispered, his voice rough. "And I don't think either of us are really up for anything more than that. Maybe we ought to let this go while we're ahead."

Then reached up to her hands to disentangle her fingers from his hair, picked up the kettle and led her unerringly back out of the cave until they could see the glow of the open cavern ahead.

Once in the light again, he let go of her hand and walked over to the fire without a backward glance. Mai just stood there, stunned, as he set the kettle onto the cooking grate and went back into the cave for his swordbelt.

He began to buckle it around his waist, when he suddenly stopped, his hand on the hilt of the strange black blade.

Without a word, he unbuckled it and slipped the sword, sheath and all, free of the belt then walked over to the fire where a sleepy looking Sokka sat, munching a piece of fruit.

"This isn't mine either," Jet explained as he passed the blade to Sokka.

"Meteor sword!" Sokka cried joyfully as he recognized his long lost blade. "You came back!"

Then Jet turned and walked out of camp.

It took a few minutes for what he'd said to sink in. He was breaking up with her. They hadn't even really started a relationship, and he was already breaking up. She was floored. She just stood there in shock.

To Mai's deep chagrin, the girls immediately realized something was very wrong, and it only Katara and Suki a few minutes to get the whole story out of her. Once Toph had gotten Zuko settled into his private sunbathing courtyard, even she joined in to add her two cents worth of analysis.

"He broke up with me," Mai could only repeat in angry disbelief. "We weren't even together yet and he broke up with me."

"It sounds to me like he doesn't feel worthy of you," Toph declared, "and he's trying to break it off while he still feels like he can." She sighed and gave them all a big grin. "Zuko tried to break up with me twice."

"Hey, I'll go you one better," Suki added, "Sokka tried to break up with me just over a week ago. He wanted to me to go back to the Kyoshi Warriors and use my gift instead of 'wasting it' with him."

"How sweet!" Katara gushed. "I never dreamed my brother was that sensitive."

"Only with me," Suki said with a grin. "But poor Jet. I thought he was handling all this really well. Apparently not."

"Handling what?" Mai asked. This kind of girl talk was something she hadn't been a part of in a long time. In fact, the kind of girl talk Azula allowed couldn't really be counted. Hers tended to center on things like how long a particular boy would hold up under interrogation. If she discounted all her Azula girl talk, that meant that she'd never been part of real girl talk.

"Mai, what do you know about Jet?" Katara asked.

"Not much," Mai admitted. It really bothered her that right on the heels of declaring that the past didn't matter to them, she was desperate to hear about his background.

Katara gave her a quick rundown of what she knew about him—how his parents were killed by Fire Nation soldiers when he was only a little boy, how he'd grown up in a group of underage Freedom Fighters, becoming their leader. How he'd been part hero, part thug. How he'd gone to Ba Sing Se to start over, only to end up brainwashed by the Dai Li.

Mai had already heard of the fight with Long Feng, but hearing it from the other perspective was chilling. He nearly died that day fighting for Aang—and at nearly the same exact time, she'd been helping Azula try to capture him.

"And Smellerbee said he'd turned bandit again after the war for a while. It's anybody's guess what was going on with him then," Katara finished.

"After all this time, after so much hardship, now we tell him that he's been chosen as king of Omashu. And besides that he's actually falling in love with the representative of the people he grew up hating," Toph added with a sigh as she picked up a bananachestnut from a bowl and began to peel the shell. "It would have to be confusing. Right now he probably has no idea who he is."

All Mai heard was the theory that Jet was falling in love with her.

Falling in love?

Was she falling in love?

She hadn't been in love in a very long time. Not since Zuko, she admitted to herself. She'd had a variety of escorts to a number of formal affairs, mostly the sons of Omashu nobles. Several of them had courted her pretty seriously, but she'd never been in love with any of them.

She'd never missed any of them after they'd left the room. But right that moment she missed Jet, and he'd only been gone a few minutes.

She missed his laugh, his easy assurances, the way he looked at her. Was that love?

Lounging in his private courtyard in the warmth of the sun, Zuko knew what love felt like. Ever so often, he'd notice Toph stop what she was doing to put her hand on her belly. Then she'd bow her head a little, and get that intent look on her face like she did when she was bending. Then she'd smile to herself.

Every time she did that, he thought his heart would explode with the love he felt for her and the baby. Katara said the baby probably wasn't even as big as a grain of rice, but it didn't matter to him. All he wanted to do was take care of them both, to bring her anything she needed, to make sure she got plenty of rest.

But he was useless.

Weak and useless.

She was waiting on him instead. Taking care of him so carefully. Making sure he kept his dignity in front of everyone else. Making him look stronger than he really was.

If anger had ever fueled his firebending, he ought to be able to melt rock right then with the depth of the anger he felt at his predicament.

But he couldn't even generate a candle flame.

He lay there in the sun, willing the rays to penetrate his body, calling them into his system to fuel him. But they just seemed to bounce off.

His mind ran in circles as he lay there trying to work through basic firebending forms in his head. He had to beat this. He had to get better so he could take care of Toph, not the other way around. Fury and frustration beat at his spirit.

All his life he had to fight for things he wanted. He'd fought for his father's attention. He'd fought for his honor. He'd fought for the respect of the men he'd commanded.

And what good had all that fighting done? To regain his father's attention and his honor, he'd become someone he hated, someone who betrayed the ones he loved.

And he could never be free of it. Even here, in what was quite possibly the most remote area of the Earth Kingdom, he'd managed to meet up with the one person who'd been imprisoned and tortured for the crime of knowing the truth of what Zuko was, whose family had been murdered by Fire Nation soldiers.

He was heartily sorry for everything he and his family had done to Jet. He was heartily sorry for everything they'd done to the people of the world.

Every trade summit, every new treaty, every attempt to rectify the damages done by his father, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather—none of them were worth the paper they were written on when it came right down to it.

How could political maneuvering resolve the hurt people felt? How could a new treaty bring back Jet's parents? Aang's people? Sokka and Katara's mother?

Buildings could be rebuilt. Crops could be replanted. But the people who were lost forever in the devastation of war could not be replaced.

How could he justify living in the Fire Nation palace in peace and in comfort when so many lost their homes in the war? How could he accept the love of such a beautiful and gifted woman as Toph when so many lost those they loved?

How could he possibly bring a new life into the world when his people had ended so many innocent lives?

He was so ashamed. He was ashamed of what he was and what he'd done. He was ashamed of the very blood in his veins.

The sun seemed to move farther and farther away from him and his spirit grew cold. After a while, he slept because he didn't have the energy to do anything else.

When Toph came back to check on him, she put a hand on his forehead and was alarmed by how cool he was to the touch.

"Aang, Katara," she called worriedly, dropping the wall in its entirety in her concern.

As the young avatar came to her side, she called to Zuko. "Sparky, wake up," she begged. "Please, baby, wake up and talk to me." But her husband lay still and silent.

Aang entered the avatar state and began to scan Zuko's energy flow, seeking the place where Katara said there was a snag. Within seconds he'd found it. "His fire chakra is almost completely blocked," Aang said. "It's no wonder he's not able to bend."

Katara followed behind with her healing water, stopping as Aang did over Zuko's stomach. "It's much worse than it was last night," she commented seriously.

Sokka, Suki, and Mai stood at a distance, watching.

"Follow my lead," Aang said to her quietly. "Maybe we can help the physical and the spiritual at the same time."

His eyes and tattoos began to glow as he placed his hands over hers. Katara closed her eyes and allowed Aang's presence to fill her mind. It felt a little like falling at first, but she soon felt herself buoyed up by his warmth. They worked together several minutes to restore as much of the function of his fire chakra as possible, then she felt her awareness return to the world.

"We helped him some," Aang assured Toph with a pat on her hand. "But whatever is going on in that head of his has got to be worked out. He's got to confront the emotional side of this before the physical can truly heal."

"What can I do?" Toph asked in a whisper from her seat at Zuko's side.

"Just be there for him, I guess," Aang replied. "You know Zuko. He's a brooder. He needs to look this in the face and deal with it. He needs to talk." Then Aang rose and sighed deeply. "I sure wish Guru Pathik was here. He's so good at this kind of thing."

"As if Zuko would ever unburden his soul to a complete stranger," Toph replied with a sigh of her own. "Sometimes he has trouble even talking to me. I wish Iroh was here."

"That can be arranged," Aang said, rubbing his chin with his fingers. "But it'll take a couple of days at least to make the trip."

"We need to do something to help him now," Toph stated emphatically. Then she reached over to touch Zuko's forehead again. "Maybe he's a little warmer," she noted, running her hand down his cheek.

Leaving Zuko in Toph's care, Katara and Aang walked back to the rest of the group. "Maybe what we need is a group session," Katara thought out loud. "It's easier to talk about things when everybody is sharing."

"I don't know about this," Aang began uncomfortably.

"No, it'll work. We can all unburden our souls together," she concluded. Then she looked at Aang with a bright smile and added, "Over lunch."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"This is the stupidest idea you ever had," Sokka blurted without thinking upon hearing of Katara's plan for a group therapy session. "Do you think for a minute Zuko is going to do anything more than scowl at all of us?"

"No, I think all he'll do is scowl," Katara replied. "But hearing other people air their issues might open him up to at least thinking about his own."

"Again," Sokka repeated, "I want to go on record as saying this is the stupidest idea you ever had." Then he stalked off to play with his meteor sword again, a huge grin spreading across his face as he drew it from its sheath.

"I think it's a great idea," Suki said as she bent down to retie Toma's shoelaces. "We can just do a little catchup session. See where conversation takes us. If the rest of us are committed to being open, it'll encourage Zuko to be open."

"You people don't know him at all, do you?" Mai asked from the side. "Zuko's idea of openness is admitting that he can't remember your birthday. Even though you've told it to him at least twenty times," she added in a dry undervoice.

Katara adjusted the cooking pot on the grate over the fire and said, "I agree that it's a long shot. I doubt he'll say a word about what's bothering him so badly. But I do think we at least need to try."

Toph walked up to join them after having gotten Zuko comfortable again—and mostly dressed, considering that she didn't plan to have him out of her bendingsight again. She didn't want to have any thick walls to interfere, so she'd dropped her courtyard for the moment.

The others filled her in on the group session idea, which she accepted with a little nod of resignation. "Hey, I'll try anything at this point," she said, then asked, "So, what's going to start this whole conversation thing off?"

"I don't have any idea," Katara replied as she rolled some vegetables over in the coals. "We'll just play it by ear, I guess. Anybody got any thoughts?" she asked as she looked around the group.

Meanwhile, Jet spent the morning wandering around the campsite, trying not to have any thoughts. Unfortunately, with nothing else to occupy him, thinking was all he'd been good for.

The cave was one of his favorite hideouts, convenient to both Omashu and Ba Sing Se, very difficult to find, easily defended.

He knelt down to see if he could feel the earth again like he did in the cave, to see if it had anything to tell him. To his surprise, he could feel the camp, could feel the others there behind him. If he really concentrated, he could pick Mai out from the rest of them.

It was strange. This ability had seemed to come and go through the years, but ever since he'd found Sokka's sword and begun to use it to amplify the sensation, the feelings had grown stronger. In the cave just now, they'd been as strong as he'd ever felt—with the exception of the day the feelings had saved his life.

He remembered without wanting to. He tried not to remember, but the images came flooding back to him, images of fire and death. Finally he gave in. He sat down on the edge of the bluff and put his head in his hands and remembered.

After their escape from Ba Sing Se, Jet, Longshot, and Smellerbee had been serving with a group of Earth Kingdom guerrilla fighters, harassing any and all Fire Nation troops they'd come across. Most of the men in their company had been just this side of criminal, but their leader had been a good man—honest, direct, and loyal to the Earth King.

His name was Dae-Hyun and he had once been a member of the Dai Li.

Jet never knew why Dae-Hyun had defected from the secret police, but he did know that his captain had been a shrewd tactician, a ruthless disciplinarian, and a man of integrity. He, Longshot, and Smellerbee would have followed him into hell itself.

On the day of Ozai's attack, Jet believed they had done just that. The company was relaxing in camp when someone noticed that the sky behind them had grown red as if the sun were setting hours early.

Then little gray flakes of ash had begun to fall out of the sky. Dae-Hyun had realized something unusual was happening and sent Jet and another scout to investigate and report.

Jet and his companion had ventured back toward the red glow. On the far distant horizon, they could see a long line of what appeared to be floating warships of some kind pouring gouts of flame.

They'd tried to get back to warn the group of the impending fire, but were cut off by a huge herd of wildelope, all on the run from what they soon recognized as a gigantic forest fire—a fire that was moving at an unearthly speed directly toward them.

Too late, Jet realized that unless the flames were stopped, the company was doomed. The inferno stretched across the horizon as far as he could see in both directions. It was too wide to outflank and too fast to outrun.

They were all going to die.

Horribly.

His companion panicked and ran, leaving Jet to stand on a little rise and watch the flames come closer at an alarming speed. Jet had known there was no reason to run. In fact, apart from a gutwrenching sadness for Longshot and Smellerbee, he'd actually felt a measure of peace in knowing that his life would soon be over.

He'd also found a bitter comfort in knowing that whatever wrongs he'd done in this life, the violent manner of his death ought to help make up for them. So he'd knelt and made peace with the heavens, calling on the spirits as witness, calling on the earth to take him back into itself at the end.

It was in that final call to the earth that he heard something. He'd heard the earth answer him in a way he'd never felt before.

To his surprise, he could feel a narrow crevice in the rock wall that stretched down the hill below him. He could feel an opening in the earth that would shelter him. Somehow he'd walked straight to the spot, pushing aside scrubby bushes to reveal a hole just nearly large enough for him to crawl through.

Nearly.

As the flames drew closer and closer, the heat began to rise around him, sending the wind whipping back and forth. As the air grew hotter, he'd dug at the hole with both hands, trying to enlarge it enough for him to crawl into.

Ash choked the breath out of him as he finally managed to wriggle his way inside the narrow crevice, crawling deeper and deeper into the moist, dark, cool underground passage. Looking back, he could see the air outside the tunnel turn red and waves of heat began to beat at him.

But he managed to crawl far enough into the opening to sit out the firestorm. The air grew thin as the flames exhausted much of the oxygen in the narrow cave. The heat was nearly unbearable.

The fire probably burned only for minutes as it swept over, but it seemed like hours. All he could think was that Smellerbee and Longshot were out there somewhere, dying in this inferno. He wished he was at their side.

But he was alone. Without them, he was now completely alone. His family, his village, his friends—all gone. There wasn't a soul alive who cared whether he lived or died. Everyone he'd ever cared about was now either dead or long gone from his life.

He was completely alone. The Fire Nation had succeeded in taking everyone he'd ever loved away from him. But instead of anger, all he felt was an intense emptiness, a loneliness that had never really left him since that day. At that moment, a part of him felt like it died.

Once the ground had cooled enough to emerge from his hiding place, he'd gone to look for the company. To his dismay, the bodies were charred beyond recognition. There was no way he could find Smellerbee and Longshot—to give them the kind of burial they deserved.

So, he'd begun the laborious task of burying all of them, sometimes in sadness, sometimes in anger, sometimes in peace. When he'd finished, he'd been dehydrated, exhausted, and near collapse.

He thought of lying down on top of the mass grave and just giving up. But something spoke to him, encouraging him to keep moving.

He began to walk, his eyes on the burned ground.

It was on this walk that he found the sword. The leather had been burned from the hilt, but the blade itself was untouched by flame. At first he thought the peculiar black color had been from ash, but when he tried to wipe it clean, he realized that the metal itself was black. And sharp. Sharper than any blade he'd ever seen.

The metal was as black as his thoughts. It seemed to suit him. So he stuck the sword in his belt and continued to walk.

Only a short while later, he abruptly came to the end of the burned over section. It was as if the fire had just been cut off. In the distance around him, he could see the burned wreckages of the strange ships, now abandoned.

From where he stood there on the untouched green of the grass, he could just see on the horizon the hill that stood over the grave of his friends. They'd been that close to safety. The fire had ended only that short distance past them as they'd run for their lives.

This last bit of bitter irony pushed him over the edge. What was the use in caring about anything? About anybody?

When he'd reached a village a short while later, it had been thronged with people seeking refuge after the firestorm had destroyed their homes, their lives. Everyone wanted water and food and a place to rest.

But not everyone was armed.

In his dark state of mind, it had been all too easy to pull out that dark sword and demand what he needed. It had been all too easy to turn a blind eye to the needs of the people around him and satisfy his own.

Before long, he'd fallen in with another band of armed men, all of whom felt the same way—empty, angry, callous.

In the chaos that followed the Fire Nation's defeat, very little by way of true law and order was to be found. Villages paid mercenaries to protect them from roving groups of bandits, mercenaries who were just nearly bandits themselves.

For the better part of the next two years, Jet had been a common thief--taking whatever he wanted, never looking anyone in the eye, never talking unless absolutely necessary.

He did his best to insulate himself from the world. He never even looked at his victims or his cohorts. Nobody knew him anymore and he didn't want them to. If he knew them, he might care about them. He was tired of caring.

His life had begun a cycle of raid, run, and hide. Raid a village, run from the authorities, hide until they gave up looking for him.

He'd been on the run from one of the few active Earth Kingdom patrols when he'd found this place, high in the mountains. Following a botched raid of a little village, he'd been separated from the rest of his current group and had been trying to avoid capture by seeking a pass over the peak.

Instead of a mountain pass, he'd found this cave system, aided by the unusual properties of his strange black sword. He'd hid out there, drinking from the waterfall spring and eating whatever he could find. His sense of the earth had come in handy, helping him find small game and edible roots.

He'd spent that time in deep thought about his life, about what he'd become. Years ago, he'd been a thug as a misguided, angry teenager. What was his excuse now, he wondered bitterly.

He'd stayed in the cave for several weeks. He'd even thought about never leaving it.

But eventually the loneliness began to take its toll. Despite the fact that he rarely even spoke to his fellow gangmembers, he missed the company of other people. He wouldn't admit it, but he needed to have people around him to buffer the emptiness he felt, to take the edge off the aloneness that stayed with him at all times.

So, he'd finally left the cave and rejoined the gang. It hadn't been too long afterward that he'd stumbled onto Smellerbee and Longshot during a raid on another village. To say his heart hadn't been in it was no excuse. He'd known his path was wrong. He'd known he was betraying everything he ever said he stood for.

But when he saw the look of joy that he was alive turn into disappointment in their eyes, he knew he'd come to a crossroads he could no longer ignore. Angrily, he'd turned on the band he'd been leading, driving them singlehandedly out of town.

Then he'd gone to the little storeroom that the two had been staying in and crashed on the floor, sleeping nearly two days straight.

Once he'd awoken at last, they'd filled him in on the details of their escape. After Jet had gone scouting behind the group, the two of them had been ordered to scout ahead. They'd stood on the same hill he'd stood on and watched as the fire had overtaken the rest of the company, clinging to each other as the airships had crashed in the distance.

Afterward, Smellerbee told him, they'd gone time and time again into the burned over forest to try to find his body, but had finally given up their search as hopeless. While Jet had turned to the south with a gang of bandits, they'd gone north to try to make a new life together, just missing him in the mass of refugees fleeing the fire.

Jet could see that one thing good had come from the whole ordeal. In the aftermath of his disappearance from their lives, Longshot and Smellerbee had begun to look to each other, finally cementing the relationship that had been there under the surface for years. It wasn't too long afterward that they'd made it formal.

They'd been young, but Jet had known they would make it from the beginning. The two of them had an understanding he envied, a closeness he wished he could find for himself.

Now as he sat there on the bluff, overlooking the valley below, he thought about Mai.

What was it that drew him to her? Was it her composure? Her ability to stay just a little bit above whatever was going on around her?

He loved the fact that his presence, his touch, could shake the unshakable diplomat. He loved the way she responded to him, the passion she showed to him that no one else could see.

But there was no future it it. What did he have to offer to someone like her?

Then it came to him.

What if he took them up on their offer? What if he actually agreed to be the king of Omashu?

"I've gone completely insane," he said aloud. There was no way he could be a king.

Then he realized he didn't have to. All he had to do was hang in there long enough for them to figure out they'd made a terrible mistake and offer him some kind of runner up position, something he could actually do.

Like work with the city law enforcement on pursuing gangs of bandits. He'd been a bandit himself long enough to know all the tricks. Maybe with a real position of respectability in the city he'd have a chance at being the kind of guy Mai might be interested in for real.

Besides, as potential king of Omashu, he would probably have the power to cancel all his remaining outstanding arrest warrants. That brought a smile to his face. He hadn't been able to go within ten miles of Madame Wu's village in years, not to mention five or six other places that probably hadn't taken down his wanted poster from the village guard's bulletin board.

That settled it. He'd tell them yes.

At least for now.

He walked back into camp with a spring in his step, glad to see it was lunchtime. Everyone was gathered around the fire, looking at each other oddly. All but Zuko. He appeared to be eating his lunch.

"So," Katara said out of nowhere as Jet dished up a plate of food and sat down next to Mai. He gave her a smile. She just looked at him.

"So," Suki repeated after a long pause, "anybody got any good stories?"

"I do," Sokka began. "I would like to tell you all about a particularly painful episode in my past." Aang snorted with repressed laughter and Suki punched Sokka in the ribs—hard.

He just scooted over a little and continued, "When Katara first learned to bend ice, she delighted in freezing my feet to the ground. One time she did that and I twisted my knee so badly I limped for a month." Then he looked over the fire at Katara and added seriously, "I've never quite gotten past that. You were pretty mean sometimes."

Katara just glared at him over the fire.

Suki spoke up in Katara's defense, "Come on, Sokka, I meant any good true stories."

"I think he's probably telling the truth," Jet interjected. "Katara froze me to a tree once. It took a good hour for me to thaw loose."

"She froze me to a wall of ice once," Zuko added with a laugh. "It took me all night to thaw." He shivered a little. "Man, it was cold in there."

Katara couldn't help but snap back at them, "Well, I had to do it. If you two will remember what you were up to, you'll agree that being frozen to something was probably the best thing."

"You're right," Jet said with a playfully sheepish drop of his head. "Thank you for freezing me to a tree, Katara."

"You probably should have froze me to something way more often than you did," Zuko added. "It would have saved everybody a lot of trouble. I caused you guys some major grief."

Everybody perked up to see what he'd say next but he just picked at his lunch casually.

"You've got nothing to be ashamed of," Katara said soothingly. Aang just rolled his eyes at her.

"How can you say that?" Zuko asked lightly. "At one time or another I think I probably tried to kill everyone here."

"You never tried to kill me, Sparky," Toph said sweetly, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Or me," Mai added, then she gave it more thought and said, "I take that back. I'd like to count the time you set my hair on fire as attempted murder."

"There," Zuko concluded with a laugh, "at one point or another I tried to kill everybody here but Toph. Her I married."

"But you know," Aang said seriously, "you didn't succeed. In fact you even rescued me once. I think if it had ever come down to it for real, you wouldn't have gone through with it."

"Yeah," Sokka interjected, his mouth full of food, "you might have been an angry jerk at times, but you were never a killer."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," Zuko said with a little bow of his head, "but can we talk about something else? What's done is done. We've all moved past those days, haven't we?"

"Of course we have, sweetie," Toph spoke up at last when no one else would answer.

"All the same, it's good to get stuff out in the open, you know," Katara added in a leading tone.

Zuko didn't say anything. He just continued to eat his lunch.

Jet couldn't help but wonder what was going on here. So he turned to Mai and whispered, "What's going on?"

She gave him a totally blank stare and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do," he replied. "Something's up."

She gave him a warning glance and mouthed, "Later."

He just nodded at her and tried to eat while simultaneously watching the rest of the group for clues.

Everyone ate in silence. Katara darted glances at everyone in an attempt to spark more conversation, but everyone just looked at her and shrugged.

Finally, Zuko put down his plate and spoke up. "So, Jet, are you going to take the job?"

Jet looked up at him and replied, "Yeah, I think so. I'll give it a try at least." To say the rest of the group was dumbfounded at the casualness of Zuko's question and Jet's announcement was an understatement.

"Good," Zuko stated firmly. "I think you'll do a great job. I've got a few suggestions for you that might help you transition into the role if you want to talk this afternoon."

"Sure, sounds good," Jet replied, rising to wash his plate in the camp dishpan. For some reason, he was glad lunch was over. Everyone seemed a little weird.

Zuko slowly stood and walked back to his lounge in the sun. Toph took care of their lunch plates and walked out to join him.

"Do you need anything, baby?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the lounge beside him.

"No, I'm just going to rest here a little while," he replied in a tired voice.

"How are you doing?" Toph asked, reaching out to stroke his arm.

"I'm okay," he assured her. "Whatever Aang and Katara did to me helped some."

"I'm glad," Toph said to him in a soft voice, leaning down to give him a kiss. "But sooner or later you're going to have to deal with whatever is bothering you. It's keeping you from getting better."

"Was that what all that strangeness at lunch was about?" he asked suspiciously. "I knew you guys were up to something."

"Aang said that your energy is blocked by something you're not dealing with. The physical can't heal unless the emotional heals too," Toph answered. "You know you can tell me anything," she added. "Anything at all."

"I know I can," he responded a little testily. "But really there's nothing to tell. I'm fine."

Toph could tell he was lying, but chose not to call him on it. When he was ready, he'd talk. And she'd be there.

"Then you just rest for a while," she said sweetly.

And he did just that.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"So are you going to tell me what all that was about?" Jet asked as he pulled Mai off to one side. "What were you guys fishing for? My deepest darkest secrets?"

"Not yours," Mai assured him. "Zuko's. Aang says he's got some kind of energy block he's got to talk out. Katara thought a little group therapy might help."

Jet thought for a moment. "I'd have to agree. Zuko probably wouldn't contribute much—at least not at first—but eventually listening to everyone else would help him deal with his own issues," he commented. "At least it always worked that way in the Freedom Fighters. The Duke had a tendency to keep everything bottled up. Group discussions always helped him a lot."

Mai looked at him in utter disbelief. "I can't believe you're siding with Katara on this," she stated. "I was with Sokka. I thought it was a terrible idea."

Jet laughed. For some reason, the sound made Mai unaccountably happy.

"So what's this about being king of Omashu?" she asked. "Are you really going to take them up on it?"

"Sure, why not?" Jet replied easily. "At least until they figure out they've got the wrong guy. It never hurts to make brownie points in high places."

"Have you ever met King Bumi?" Mai asked worriedly.

"Nope, never," Jet replied. "But I've always heard he's a good king—a little off but a good king."

"A little off is a kind way to put it," Mai stated. She wondered what Bumi might do to Jet if he didn't measure up. She remembered Zuko's underground imprisonment. "Just be careful dealing with him," she finally warned him. "And be honest. He knows when you're lying."

"Like Toph," Jet surmised. "I'll do my best to do my best," he promised solemnly, one hand over his heart.

They moved back to the fire and sat together in idle conversation for a good while, Mai filling him in on various details of Omashu city politics. Before long, he'd decided he'd made a terrible mistake. There was no way he could learn all of this. There was no way he could even begin to pass himself off as a serious candidate.

But then he looked up at Mai as she instructed him intently. He stopped listening to her words and began listening to the earth around her. He realized that his senses told him where she was, how she was sitting, which new position she took each time she shifted on the stone bench Toph had raised.

When he really tried, he could feel her heartbeat, the rhythm of her breath coming to him through the stone that connected them. He couldn't tell so much about any of the others—maybe because they were farther away, maybe because he just wasn't as interested in them.

He resolved to give this king business a real try—if for no other reason than to keep him close to her for as long as possible.

Besides there had to be some good he could do as a candidate. He knew of needs in the city that should be met. He might even be in a position to help repay Smellerbee and Longshot for everything they'd done for him over the years.

It would be good to have the ability to do something worthwhile for a change.

He felt this so strongly, that when he finally went to talk with Zuko that afternoon, he told him that very thing.

Zuko looked at him, an odd light in his eye. "That's the only reason I would ever agree to be Fire Lord," Zuko admitted. "It's a chance to try to do something good for the people. Instead of dragging their sons off to war, I can do something worthwhile. I can rebuild instead of destroy."

Jet gave him a long look. "I don't know what all is on your mind, Zuko," he said. "But I can tell you this, at least. You aren't your past. You certainly aren't somebody else's past. When you are Fire Lord, if you spend all your time trying to make up for someone else's bad job, you'll never be free to do your own good job. You'll be constantly cleaning up problems instead of making progress."

Zuko looked at Jet where he sat in the lounge chair Toph had bended for him, a cup of cool spring water in his hand. The young mercenary looked so at ease with himself there soaking in the mid-afternoon sun. "What makes you say this?" Zuko asked curiously.

"Several years ago," Jet began, "I took over a business operation from a short-term acquaintance." At Zuko's questioning look, he amended his statement, saying, "Okay, several years ago, the leader of my gang of bandits was arrested and I took over. I'm not proud of it, but it happened."

Then he shrugged and continued, "Anyway, the guy had been a real bully and morale was at an all time low. At first, I tried to lead by fixing the problems he'd left behind. But when one problem got fixed another one would just come up. So I quit trying to clean up his mess and concentrated on doing what I knew was right for the group."

"The raids became successful again, morale picked up, we gained membership and managed to evade the authorities. From a gangster point of view, we did very well as an organization," Jet concluded.

Then he gave Zuko a sardonic smile, "Of course, it all came crashing down when one of our members leaked raid plans to his new girlfriend—who promptly turned us all in. I had to make a run for it. In fact, that's when I found this cave system."

Jet looked around at Aang's wide arbor entrance and into the large open room behind them. "This place is the only good thing that ever came from my life of crime, I have to say. It's the one thing I wouldn't want to undo from those days," he said.

Zuko listened quietly, then said, "I understand how you feel. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would."

"But, you know," Jet replied, "doing it over means missing the lessons you learned too. I wouldn't be the person I am now if I hadn't learned it all the hard way. Maybe I'd be a better man, maybe not. I know that I value certain things more than I would otherwise. I can really appreciate a quiet, safe place knowing how it feels to be in a chaotic, unsafe place."

Zuko sat for a while in thought. "You've got a point," he said at last.

They talked for a while longer about politics in general. Then Jet rose to let Zuko rest a while.

"Thanks for the advice," Jet said.

"I think you were the one dishing it out this time," Zuko replied.

"Then maybe we both got what we needed," Jet responded with a grin, "because I feel like I understand what I'm doing a lot better now."

"So do I," said Zuko. Jet wandered off again, probably to find Mai, Zuko thought to himself with a smile. He was glad. Jet was a good guy.

Then he lay in the sun and felt it melt away more of the ice in his veins. He let his mind work over the details of the idea he'd had for a restructure of the main seaport to improve efficiency and get perishable items in and out faster.

Sokka dealt in perishable items with the shrimpcrab fleet. He'd have to spend some time talking with him about it, Zuko thought to himself as he drifted off to sleep again.

The group spent supper telling funny stories—in direct contrast to the earlier attempt at therapy at lunchtime.

Toph pulled Katara off to one side as everyone cleaned up the dishes and generally made themselves comfortable.

"Zuko wants to leave tomorrow. He says he's a lot better," Toph said worriedly. "What do you think?"

Katara frowned. "I don't think that's such a good idea," she answered. Then she called Aang over and they held a little conference to one side.

Zuko watched them out of the corner of his eye as he and Sokka discussed Zuko's plans for a port renovation. He knew he was being talked about by the way Toph watched him without watching him—all in her own special way. That was fine. Let them talk. He was getting his life back in the morning.

"Anyway," Sokka was saying, "if you move the processing plant, it'll open up another third of the port to regular shipping traffic and keep all the incoming fishing boats in one area."

"Not to mention that the whole port won't smell like fish anymore," Mai ventured as she took a seat with them, Jet also moving to join them next to her.

"I agree. Moving the plant is a great idea," Zuko pulled his attention back to Sokka's suggestion. "But we've got several big issues with doing that. Cost being the first biggie. It'll just be too expensive."

"But the port will make more money because of increased traffic. That ought to help pay for it," Sokka replied. "Why won't it?"

"The big cost is in the land. It belongs to the Chan family and they want a fortune for it," Zuko sighed. The Chans had been an endless thorn in his side ever since the old admiral had been removed from his post after the war. And their son still bore a serious grudge against Zuko for Ember Island when they were teenagers.

"Why?" Sokka asked.

"Mostly because they hate me and Uncle Iroh," Zuko replied.

"Why?" Sokka asked again innocently.

"Well, Iroh removed Admiral Chan from his post, and I trashed his house once while his son was having a party," Zuko answered.

"I helped," Mai interjected lightly.

"Let's take those one at a time," Sokka answered. "Who's got the biggest grudge and the most power to influence the outcome?"

"Admiral Chan definitely," Zuko said. "His son will do whatever he says."

"So Admiral Chan was removed from his post and now holds a grudge," Sokka reiterated. "Why does he hold a grudge?"

"Loss of power? Loss of honor? Loss of prestige?" Zuko guessed. "Why do you keep asking me 'why' questions?"

Sokka leaned back and gave him a nod. "I'm glad you asked," he began in his wisest tone of voice. "It's the five why's of troubleshooting. I learned it from Teo, who learned it from his dad, who is one of the greatest inventors I've ever met. When you run into a problem with an invention, you ask yourself why five times. That helps you get past the surface issues and to the real problems. It works on any kind of problem."

Off to the side, Jet stopped playing with the ends of Mai's hair and began to listen intently.

"So, my real problem is that Admiral Chan feels like he's lost face," Zuko replied thoughtfully.

"I don't know," Sokka answered. "Was that five why's?"

"It doesn't matter," Zuko replied confidently. "I think I've already got some ideas of how to restore part of Admiral Chan's family honor while getting us that land for the new processing plant at the Chan Shipping Complex."

"See?" Sokka said with a huge smile. "Works like a charm, doesn't it?"

"Pretty good stuff there, Sokka," Zuko congratulated him as he sat back in thought again.

"I'm tired of talking business," Mai said with a yawn. "If you guys don't mind, I'm going to see about getting in some girltalk."

She'd felt Jet playing with her hair. Night was falling and she wasn't really sure what she'd be doing about her sleeping arrangements. She figured now was a good time to seek some advice, so she got up and joined the girls where they were playing with the kids off to the side.

The fire crackled and popped as Aang came to join them.

"What did you and my wife decide?" Zuko asked, a little sharply.

"That's not exactly fair and you know it, Zuko," Aang reprimanded him gently. "Everybody's just concerned about your health—even if you aren't."

"Well?" Zuko asked again, refusing to be sidetracked.

"Toph said you want to go back to Omashu tomorrow. Katara and I think it's too soon. I mean, look how quickly you slipped downhill this morning," Aang said seriously.

"That was this morning," Zuko answered hotly. "I feel a lot better now."

"And who knows how long that will last?" Aang replied. "I hate to be a killjoy, but you're not going anywhere until you get this block resolved at least enough that you're bending again. Then we'll know you're on the right track."

"I can work on my bending back in Omashu," Zuko tried to reason.

"And what if you crash again on the way? How would you like to be so far gone with this that you never bend again?" Aang asked sternly. "Chakra blocks are serious. This one has to be resolved, especially since its your fire chakra—the core of your bending is in your fire chakra."

"Just what is a chakra anyway?" Jet asked curiously.

"It's an energy center in the body, a place where your chi pools and strengthens. If chi can't flow through it, your whole energy system is crippled," Aang replied. "Plus, for a bender, the chakra that corresponds to his element is really important. For you, it's the earth chakra at the base of the spine. Guru Pathik says it deals with survival and is blocked by fear. Have you ever had a sense of your bending abilities wavering?"

Jet sat back in deep thought. "Even though I'd never call what I do 'bending,' I'd have to say yes. Sometimes it was stronger than others. But ever since Ozai's fire, it's been strong and consistent," he said.

"What happened that day that had to do with fear and survival?" Aang asked and a gentle voice.

"I knew I was going to die," Jet said simply. Then as the rest of them listened quietly, he related the story of how he'd made his peace with death, then managed to survive. "I guess when I really laid down my fear of death, something inside me opened up." Jet sat there and stared into the fire. The rest of the men were silent around him.

At last Jet looked up directly at Zuko and said, "So, Zuko, what's going on with you?"

Zuko just shrugged.

Jet looked over at Aang intently. "If the earth chakra is survival and fear, then what's the fire chakra?"

"Willpower and shame," Aang answered, and the three men looked expectantly at Zuko.

After a quiet moment, Sokka asked, "Zuko, what is it that you are ashamed of?"

"Nothing," Zuko replied a little nervously. He was not comfortable with the direction this conversation was taking.

"If you're not ashamed of anything, why is your fire chakra blocked?" Sokka asked.

"I have no idea," Zuko responded and thought to himself, that's the end of Sokka's five why's. However, he didn't count on Jet's taking another tack.

"I think we're going about this the wrong way," Jet said. "Zuko, repeat after me. 'I deserve to be happy.'"

"This is stupid," Zuko snapped. "Nobody deserves happiness. Happiness is a gift."

"This isn't about theory," Jet replied. "It's about you."

"Does Toph deserve to be happy?" Aang asked.

"Of course she does," Zuko answered, then realized what he'd said. He'd just gotten himself deeper into the conversation than he meant. He glanced over at his wife where she sat off to the side with Suki, Katara, Mai, and the little ones. She was smiling and laughing at something Zutara was saying. Of course she deserved to be happy. She deserved all the happiness in the world.

"If Toph can deserve happiness, shouldn't you?" Aang asked again, a little more insistence in his voice.

"I guess," Zuko tried to sidestep the issue. He really didn't want to talk about it at all.

"Then say it," Jet commanded. "Say 'I deserve to be happy.'"

Zuko tried to say the words, but they hung in his throat. He didn't. He didn't deserve happiness at all.

"Why can't you say it?" Jet asked softly.

"Nobody deserves happiness," Zuko repeated, but he knew his line of reasoning was futile. He'd already undercut his own logic.

"You can't use that one again and you know it," Jet called him out. "Answer the question. Why don't you, Zuko, deserve to be happy?"

"I guess I'm just not worth it," Zuko managed to reply.

"Why aren't you worth it?" Sokka asked from the other side.

"Look at all the things I've done," Zuko answered. "Look at the hurt I've caused people."

"We all cause hurt to people," Aang stated firmly. "I know that any hurt you've done in the past, you've been heartily sorry for and done your best to make up for it. Besides, it's not guilt over the things you've done that's holding you back. It's shame over what you think you are."

"What are you?" Sokka asked.

"I'm nothing special," Zuko said.

"That's not true," Jet interjected. "You're Crown Prince Zuko. Sounds pretty impressive to me—future ruler of the Fire Nation."

Zuko's eyes blazed in anger. "There's nothing impressive about being ruler of the Fire Nation," he snapped. "Look at the track record of the most recent Fire Lords. They started a war, they killed your parents, Jet, and your mother, Sokka." Then he looked over at Aang. "They killed your entire people, Aang. You are the last airbender because of my great-grandfather."

"How is that your fault?" Aang asked. "Why do you feel responsible for what they did?"

"I don't," Zuko answered.

"Then why do your ancestors' actions bother you so much?" Sokka pressed.

"Because they are part of who I am. I'm descended from them," Zuko snapped. This questioning business was getting out of hand.

"We're all descended from somebody. But we're our own people," Aang replied gently. "Iroh is descended from them too. Is that a problem?"

"No," Zuko responded. "Iroh's not like them."

"Are you like them?" Sokka asked.

"No, of course not," Zuko answered. "You know I'm doing everything I can to fix all the things they've messed up."

"Then why don't you deserve to be happy?" Jet repeated.

"Because it doesn't stop with me. I'm bringing a baby into this. It's not fair to him. He deserves a fresh start. He deserves a better background than to be descended from a bunch of tyrants and murderers!" Zuko cried out in frustration.

The three men looked at each other in satisfaction. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Zuko, how many great-grandfathers do you have?" Aang asked.

Zuko did a quick calculation. "Four," he answered.

"Were the other three terrible people?" Aang asked.

"No," Zuko admitted. "One of them was Avatar Roku."

"Really?" Sokka blurted in surprise. "That kind of makes Aang your great-grandfather then, doesn't it? Is Katara your great-grandmother?"

"No," Zuko answered sternly, but he gave Aang a funny sidelong glance anyway. Aang just smiled at him.

"Were all of Toph's family terrible people?" Jet asked.

"No, of course not," Zuko replied.

"So this baby has three bad apples in the family tree out of . . ." Sokka counted quickly on his fingers, "thirty people counting from Sozin down. That's a 90 percent good ancestor, 10 percent bad ancestor rate. You're saying that the 10 percent bad background is so bad it outweighs the 90 percent good background in your kid?"

"No, of course not," Zuko repeated softly, putting his now seriously aching head in his hands.

"There you go! End of chakra block," Sokka cried triumphantly, throwing up his hands in victory. "Flame on, hotman!"

Zuko just looked over at him blankly. Then he got up and walked into the cave.

Aang sighed, "Guys, knowing something's true isn't the same as believing it."

Toph saw him leave and got up to follow, stopping beside the guys on her way past. "What did you do to him?" she asked angrily.

"We were trying to help," Aang explained gently. "How did he look to you?"

"Like he was upset and in pain," Toph snapped, her hands on her hips.

Jet rose to stand before her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, Toph," he began gently, "you know we wouldn't intentionally hurt Zuko, right? We were just trying to help him."

Sokka and Aang watched in amazement as Toph's anger seemed to melt away.

"I know," she conceded. "Just be careful how hard you try to help him next time, okay?" she finished, giving Jet a smile and following Zuko into the cave.

Sokka and Aang looked at Jet in new appreciation. "How did you do that?" Sokka asked in wonderment. "Can I learn this to use on Suki the next time she's upset with me?"

"Not really," Jet replied with a proud stretch and a big grin. "It's a gift."

_(AN: Thanks so much to Nandireya for the exchange idea about Aang being Zuko's great-grandfather!)_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Zuko was already in bed when Toph got back to their alcove, his face turned to the wall. She could tell he was still hurting, but he lied to her of course when she asked if he was okay.

So she took a deep breath, gave him a kiss on the forehead, wished him goodnight, and went back outside to where Mai, Katara, and Suki sat in conversation.

After a few minutes, Katara rose with Bumi in her arms. "Time for bed for this little guy," she said. Suki agreed and gathered her two as well.

Toph stopped Katara with a hand. "Will you please work on Zuko's headache for a minute while you're back there?" she asked. "He'll probably say he's fine, but I know it's bothering him."

"Sure," Katara answered gladly.

After several minutes, Katara and Suki returned to their seats, Katara shaking her head. "That Zuko is probably the worst patient I've had in months," she sighed. "I tried Toph, really I tried, but he wouldn't let me help him. I think he'd rather hurt than admit he's hurting."

"That sounds about right," Toph agreed. "I appreciate your trying though."

"Men," Suki sighed in exasperation. "Sokka can be such a big baby sometimes, but if he's in one of those manly pride moods, you could break both his legs and he wouldn't even flinch."

Katara nodded.

"So," Mai spoke up and her tone of voice was such that each one of the women looked at her with interest. "Let me ask you something." She paused and took a breath. "How did you know?"

"Know what?" Katara asked, all innocence.

"Know that this guy was the guy," Mai clarified.

The three women looked at her with huge smiles on their faces. "So you think Jet might be the guy?" Suki asked.

"I just want to know how you three knew," Mai answered firmly, refusing to give away any more information.

"Well," Suki replied as she curled up on her bench and got comfortable, "Sokka and I met when we were so young. I liked him from the minute I met him, even though he was being an obnoxious boy. But I really knew that he was the guy when he broke into my cell at the Boiling Rock. It was like all the lights came back on. I knew that as long as he was around, I could handle whatever came my way."

She smiled and looked over at her husband where he sat across the courtyard talking to Aang and Jet. His dark hair fell loose around his shoulders where he'd finally taken it down from its usual blue leather tie. It contrasted with the white trim on his blue tunic.

She loved it when he took his hair down. That meant he was comfortable. He felt like he could relax and truly be himself.

He was very animatedly telling some story to the other two men, and they were both laughing. She loved his excitement for life, his endless plans, the way he saw things so differently from her. She loved to watch him with their children. She loved how playful he could be with them—and with her. It was so good to see him like this.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she looked back at the rest of the girls. "Well?" she said, looking at Katara and Toph. "What about you guys?"

"Aang and I were really young too," Katara said. "He had such a crush on me for so long. But once we were grown, it was different. He grew up so fast after the war. He still looked like a kid, but he thought like an adult. He had all these important responsibilities."

She looked over to where her husband sat at the fire, listening carefully to everything Jet was now saying, a serious expression on his face. His back was so straight. He looked a little like a schoolboy at a lecture. But in that concentration, she could see genuine interest.

Even though the problems of the world were his to deal with as the avatar, Aang always managed to see the individual's needs as well. He always saw her needs more clearly than his own.

"Aang had been working with Zuko and Iroh for months on a new treaty with the Earth King and his council, and it was really frustrating him. So when they took a break, he came to visit me at the South Pole," Katara continued. "He got down off Appa, walked right up to me, and asked if I wanted to go penguin sledding."

The other girls laughed at that and so did she, then she added softly, "But the way he said it was so sad. He was so tired and so worn out with trying to make everybody happy. So I just gave him a big hug and told him of course I would. We spent the next two weeks of his break just hanging out, being goofy like we were kids again."

Then Katara paused to think, to remember. It had been a beautiful, clear night. They sat on an ice floe looking up at the stars. Everything was so perfect as he'd leaned in toward her, his steady gray eyes meeting hers with an intensity that took her breath.

"The night before he had to leave, he kissed me," she continued. "And I knew right then that he was the guy. I knew he hadn't meant to do it. He thought it wouldn't be fair to me to be the avatar's wife, having to share him with the rest of the world. But I knew I wanted to be with him. No matter what life brought our way, I wanted to be with him."

Then she sighed and cast another look in his direction. "It took a little while to convince him, but he finally saw it my way," she said with a laugh.

"Toph?" Mai asked.

"I met Zuko when we were young too. But I was the one with the crush on him. He was so moody, so dashing, so sincere," Toph began. "I was starry-eyed there for a while."

"Weren't we all," Suki laughed.

"I thought you only had eyes for Sokka," Toph said with a grin.

"Sokka first, but we all had eyes for Zuko," Suki replied.

Katara and Mai agreed.

"Even while I was trying very hard to hate him, I liked him," Katara admitted.

"And you know he was my first love," Mai said with a sigh.

"I guess we all had a thing for Zuko then," Toph acquiesced, then added, "but not anymore, so hands off my husband, ladies."

"Nope, I'm taken," Suki laughed, throwing up her hands in innocence.

"Me too," Katara added.

"I gave up my claim years ago," Mai responded generously. "So how did you know he was the guy?"

"Well, I hadn't seen him in years," Toph began. "But from the minute I walked into the Fire Palace, I knew there was something going on between us. And after dinner one night, he kissed me. Then we were kidnapped and nearly died in a volcano, but I knew he was the guy with that kiss. The rest was just reinforcement."

Then Toph turned to Mai. "So what about you? When did you know?" she asked in a leading tone.

"Know what?" It was Mai's turn to be innocent.

"I'll go ahead and tell you, Mai," Katara began. "Jet was my first crush. When he swept down out of those trees and started kicking those soldiers' butts, I just nearly fainted. He was so handsome and so charming. He really knew how to turn a girl's head in those days."

"He's still got it," Toph admitted. "When I went over there to crawl those guys for antagonizing Zuko, he just smoothed everything right over with me and I didn't even realize he was doing it. He's good. I'll give him that."

"That ought to help him out tremendously as king of Omashu," Suki noted. "Every successful politician I've ever known has been a smooth talker."

Mai thought for a minute. Now she was worried. Was she just being played? Was Jet really interested in her or just practicing his charm?

Just then Sokka and Aang walked over to their little group.

"You ready to turn it in?" Sokka asked Suki, running his hand over her hair.

She nodded and they said their goodnights then walked back into the cave together, his arm around her waist.

"Do you want me to look in on Zuko one more time?" Katara asked Toph. "I'll be glad to."

Toph concentrated for a minute, feeling for Zuko across the earth. He seemed to be resting pretty well. "No," she answered, "he seems okay right now. But if he gets worse, I'll let you know."

Then Katara rose and joined Aang. "I'll get the door tonight," Toph told him. "I'm not quite ready to turn in yet."

Mai stood and wondered where to go. She didn't want to sleep in that little dark hole, but she wasn't sure how to handle sleeping in Jet's area either.

Toph took care of that by calling Jet over to her. "Jet, can we talk for a minute?" she asked him.

Mai took the opportunity to take herself to bed, back in Jet's space where she at least had a wide open ceiling above her. Then he could decide where he wanted to be. And maybe if she hurried herself to bed, she'd be asleep before Toph turned out the lights.

Jet watched Mai head into the cave, wondering where she was going to bed down. He knew where he wanted her to be, the question was whether he was strong enough to join her.

Then he turned and took a seat next to Toph.

"We need to talk about your bending," Toph began. "As king of Omashu, you'll need to be able to bend—not necessarily as well as Bumi, but at least enough to satisfy ceremonial purposes."

"Well, that puts me right out of the running," Jet said, rising to leave. "I am not a bender."

"Sit down and shut up," Toph instructed. "That's your first lesson."

Jet looked at her quizzically. Was she kidding? Suddenly the ground heaved beneath his feet and he found himself falling back onto the bench he'd just vacated. Apparently she wasn't kidding.

He made a little bow of obeisance. "Yes, ma'am, Miss Toph," he said with a grin.

"That's Sifu Toph to you Pupil Jet," she stated firmly. "Now listen to the earth and tell me everything you hear."

Jet closed his eyes and spread his hands out on the stone bench on either side of him. "I can hear Mai walking around inside. She's lying down now." He smiled to himself as he realized she was lying down on his bed.

Then he looked further into the cave. "Someone is sleeping, I think—probably Zuko because it's in your area. The others are walking around or lying down. I think they're talking, but I'm not sure. It's hard to tell anybody apart. I just get the feeling of activity."

"What about outside here? What can you feel around us?" Toph asked.

Jet cast his awareness out into the wilds around them. To his surprise he could feel a flock of large birds, probably prairie turkeys, settling down for the night and a small group of bobfoxes wandering the hillside.

"Very good," Toph said. "Your skills are much stronger than I thought they were."

"They're much stronger than I thought they were," Jet replied with a laugh. "I've never been able to do this before."

"You've been practicing," Toph offered by way of explanation. "Practice always improves performance."

Then Jet realized just how he'd been practicing. He'd been consciously or subconsciously watching Mai all day long. He found himself endlessly fascinated by how her movements felt.

The fire was growing low, and the air was cooler now. He both saw and felt a log shift onto the ground as the coals collapsed beneath it.

"Now," Toph continued, "let's see what you can do with manipulation."

"I'll tell you what I can do. Nothing," Jet replied. Then he remembered his first lesson: sit down and shut up. "Sorry, Sifu Toph. I'll give it my best shot."

"Either do it or don't do it. None of this best shot business," she snapped.

"Are you always this cranky when you teach, Sifu Toph?" he asked playfully.

The bench suddenly moved back with him five feet. "Yes," she answered, finishing her bending gesture as she stood. "Earthbending is about power and forcefulness. It's about finding the strength in yourself and in the earth. You're already accessing the quiet strength of listening. Now it's time to find your roots and move the earth with you."

Jet stood up uneasily to face her. "Take off your boots—you need to begin with your body in close contact with your element," she instructed.

"In that case I ought to just strip naked and lie down on it for all the good I'll be able to do," he said with a laugh. However, he quickly got down to his bare feet. It felt funny.

With the slightest of waves, Toph rolled a small boulder up between them. Jet looked at it nervously. "Shouldn't we practice with little rocks first? You know, work my way up?" he asked.

"No. Earth is earth. Size doesn't matter. Big rocks are as easy to move as small ones—easier in fact. There's more to feel," Toph replied. Then with a sudden move, she shot the boulder toward him.

"Hey!" he yelled as he sidestepped it. The boulder crashed into the hillside behind him. "I can't stop that!"

"Yes, you can," she snapped back and rolled another at him.

Somehow he managed to dodge this one too. Then he remembered why she'd always scared the hell out of him when they were kids. Her ability had made her insane.

"Quit jumping out of the way!" she yelled at him.

"Then quit throwing rocks at me!" he yelled back.

"No! Stop them!" she commanded, rolling yet another directly in his path.

Neither of them noticed that Zuko had come out into the area, awakened by the loud noises. Soon Mai joined him.

"Why isn't everyone else out here?" Mai asked Zuko over the sound of crashing boulders. "They're making enough noise to wake the dead."

"I guess they're either far enough back in the cave not to hear or just choosing to ignore it," Zuko guessed.

"How long do you think they'll keep this up?" Mai wondered. "It looks dangerous."

"No, Toph won't let him get hurt," Zuko said, cringing a little as yet another boulder nearly missed clipping Jet's shoulder.

But both of them involuntarily gasped in fear as a particularly large rock shot across the courtyard, straight at Jet's head. Toph had him cornered. He had no place to go. There was no sidestepping this one. Just before the massive rock crushed his skull, it shattered into thousands of pieces.

He closed his eyes against the fragments that showered him, and somehow, he managed to bend most of them away from his face, with only a few getting through to leave tiny cuts on his skin.

Toph walked forward with a big grin on her face. "Not bad for a first timer," she declared, clearing away the dust and debris with a casual hand. As he stepped forward, she asked, "Where did you feel it?"

"All over my face," he replied testily.

"No, when you finally managed to stop the pieces from hitting you," she replied. "Where did you feel the strength coming from?"

Jet tentatively reached behind his back to the base of his spine. She spun him around and hit him—hard--right above the tailbone.

"Right there. That's the seat of your earthbending strength," Toph said firmly. "That's what you've got to feel. The roots running from here--" she hit him again—but not as hard—then ran her hand down the back of his leg to the ground as she said, "--down your legs to the earth. You've got to pull your strength up out of the ground and into your earth chakra."

Both Zuko and Mai felt a little twinge of jealousy at her action, but both wisely chose to ignore it.

Then Toph took a strong stance and pushed a large boulder back up the hill to its original position. "Now you do it," she commanded.

Jet took his own stance and tried to feel the earth's strength. He did his best to root himself. Then he pushed at another boulder nearby, but it didn't even waver.

"One more time," she instructed. "Breathe with it. Draw in the strength with your breath, then push it out your hands as you exhale."

He tried again and this time the boulder rocked a little.

"Very good, Pupil Jet," Toph said, inclining her head to him. Then with a wave, she bended the two of them free of dust. "Now, go to bed."

"Thank you, Sifu Toph," Jet said with a very respectful bow.

They walked back toward the cave entrance. Jet lit a lamp for Mai as Toph closed up the cave for the night. They said their goodnights, and Toph and Zuko headed back toward their alcove.

"Did you enjoy the show?" Toph asked as they walked down the dark tunnel. Zuko held her hand in the darkness and let her lead him back to bed. Once in the alcove, he lit their lamp so he could see her again. She was both beautiful and intimidating.

"You're scary," he said. "Did you treat Aang this way?"

"Yep," she replied. "You can't learn to earthbend if you're scared. Fear has to be the first thing to go. Fear of death in particular."

"So you tried to kill him?" Zuko asked.

"I wasn't trying to kill him," Toph replied as she stripped off her clothing and washed down the little traces of dust that remained stuck to her skin. "I was trying to help him find his strength." Then she crawled into bed and held out her hand for Zuko to join her.

Zuko lay down next to her, his fingers tracing the little goosebumps that the cool water had raised on her arms.

"Mmmm," she sighed, "you're warm, Sparky." Then her eyes opened wide. "Can you bend?"

Zuko held out his hand and tried. Nothing.

"Would you like me to throw rocks at you for a while?" she teased. "Help you find your strength?"

"Not really," he said, then he gathered her into his arms. At least he was warmer.

Back in the large cave Jet stood over the washbasin with a cloth and dabbed at the little cuts on his cheeks and forehead.

"I had no idea Toph was so mean," Mai said as she walked over to him and took the cloth from his hand. She began to gently wipe away the little smears of blood that dotted his face. "Do you want me to ask Katara to heal these?"

"No, not tonight," Jet said with a dismissive wave. "They don't really hurt anyway. Plus they're a good reminder of the job hazards of earthbending."

"That looked terrifying," Mai said as she passed him back the cloth. He began to wipe at his neck and chest, then grabbed a towel and a change of clothes.

"It was hard work. I'm going to wash off in the spring," he announced. "Do you want to go with me?"

"Sure, I'll come along to keep you company," she said. "But that water is way too cold for me."

He picked up the lamp, making sure it had plenty of oil in it this time, then they walked back to the waterfall. The water was indeed icy as he plunged into it, but Jet felt much better to have washed the feel of fear from his body. He didn't want Mai to know, but he truly had been terrified there for a moment.

Then it was like a door opened and he could feel something—a sense of power, of confidence. When he managed to deflect those pieces of rock from his face, he knew he'd connected with something deep inside him. Something he'd been missing all these years.

Moving that rock, even the least bit, had felt like coming home. Like he knew who he was again after a long bout of amnesia.

Mai very carefully kept her eyes averted as he dressed again. He rubbed his hair with the towel as they walked back to the open area.

Once Mai was settled, Jet blew out the lamp and collapsed into the surprising comfort of the bed gratefully. He was suddenly exhausted.

The air was cool in the cave and he began to shiver a little, still chilled from the icy spring water. Then he felt Mai's hand pulling the blankets up around him, drawing him close to her. She was so warm.

He relaxed into her embrace, feeling her hand push his damp hair back from his forehead. He felt so cared for, so at peace.

Then he realized that he didn't feel alone. For the first time since Ozai's fire, he didn't feel alone.

As he began to drift into sleep, he wanted to tell her this. He wanted to tell her how she made him feel. But his mind began to disconnect from consciousness and all he could think of to say was, "I love you."

So he said that instead and fell asleep.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Mai lay there wide awake holding Jet in her arms.

He was the guy.

When they asked her when she knew he was the guy, she knew what she'd say. She knew he was the guy when he told her he loved her and fell asleep.

No chance for commentary, no chance for reciprocation, he just fell asleep.

She lay there next to him, his head on her shoulder, one arm cast across her so casually, like it had always belonged there. His hair was damp against her cheek and she brushed it back from his forehead again.

He loved her.

What did that mean? she wondered. Did that mean he really did love her or that he was grateful to have a warm body to lie with or that she was a great girl?

And just as important, did she love him?

He was the guy. She had to love him.

Then what exactly was it that she loved? she wondered. She barely knew him.

Unbidden flickers of memory flashed through her head—Jet standing with her outside the healer's hut as Katara worked on Zuko's leg. He'd given her a little smile of camaraderie as if to say, "I'm just as uncomfortable with this as you are." Then he'd proceeded to get over his discomfort and perform surgery.

She remembered traveling with him on the geckos through the swamp—how efficient he was on the trail, all the time making relaxed, casual conversation. How confidently he'd faced the bandits, talking them into his little con game with ease.

Then she remembered the other side of him she'd seen when he confronted the bandit leader. He'd been furious, frightening in the speed and intensity of his attack, the point of his dagger never wavering from the bandit's neck as he'd threatened him.

Then that night back in the village, she'd seen yet another side of him when he held onto her. She'd known at the time that he wasn't just holding her for her own comfort, he'd needed her presence with him for himself.

Then she remembered the way he'd kissed her in the darkness beside the waterfall. She had no idea she could ever react that way—so free of self-consciousness, so free to just enjoy his touch. She'd felt completely safe with him.

She looked down at him again, tracing one eyebrow with her finger. He was so different from any man she'd ever met. He was such a mixture of generosity and need, of talk and action. He could break up with her one minute and tell her he loved her the next.

He downplayed his abilities and acted as if he was nothing special, but she could see why he'd been the leader of his group. He'd be a wonderful king—always in touch with the people, able to listen to their needs, but able to take action when necessary and tenacious in defense of what was his.

She wanted to be his.

Then she realized she wanted him to be hers as well. She wanted his passion, his intensity, his humor, his wit, his dangerous edge, his charm all to herself. She wanted to be the one who held him in the night, the one who listened to his problems, the one who stood beside him when everyone else walked away.

He was the guy. That much she knew as she kissed his forehead and finally went to sleep.

Zuko also lay there in the dark, cradling Toph in his arms. She felt so soft against him. That sweet softness contrasted so radically with the sheer power of her bending, a power that never ceased to amaze him. Once again, he reflected on how fortunate—how blessed he was to have her in his life.

She was tough enough to stand up to him, to tell him the truth. But she was loving enough to let him make his own path, to give him room to grow.

She understood things so clearly, so quickly, but she always kept a sense of humor about it. She never took herself too seriously, and she never let him either. She made sure he didn't worry too long over an issue. She kept his life interesting. She made him laugh.

He treasured every little thing about her and he loved her to the core of his being.

And she loved him enough to have his baby. With all his faults, with all his bad history, she wanted him to be her baby's father.

Maybe the guys were right. Maybe he was a little too drawn in by the bad side of his family tree to the exception of the good side. It really wasn't fair to Avatar Roku and the rest of his decent ancestors to let the bad ones take away all his pride in his background.

He thought back to the Fire Lords of old before Sozin. So many of them were good men, wise and progressive leaders. Sozin's father had been renowned for his public works and his willingness to work with the rest of the nations.

Zuko couldn't help but wonder what had caused his son to go so wrong. He wondered how he could make certain his son traveled a good path—found himself a good destiny.

Then it came to him. He would take his son to meet the dragons.

When he was old enough, he would take him there to face them. He would tell his son the stories of the dragons of old and let him know how important it was to honor the spirit of the dragons in the Fire Nation. Then he would take him to meet the dragons first hand.

Then his son would always understand.

Zuko placed his hand over Toph's belly as she slept and made a quiet promise to his unborn child. "I will take you to meet the dragons," he whispered. "You will meet them and then you will understand fire. You will understand what it means to be Fire Lord."

Then he slept and his dreams were of flying dragons of all colors, dragons who swept majestically through the air, filling the sky above the Fire Nation.

Mai woke the next morning as Aang opened the cave again. Jet was still in her arms, sleeping soundly.

"Hey," she whispered to him, "wake up. It's morning."

He mumbled something back to her but didn't awaken. Carefully, she extricated herself from his arms and tried to pull herself together before the others surfaced. Aang might know their sleeping arrangements, but that didn't mean she was ready to field everybody's questions.

She expected to see the rest of the group up and about shortly, but to her surprise, even Aang went back to bed after a few minutes of piddling around the fire.

Mai decided to take advantage of the solitude for a short workout, heading away from camp a distance to find a good spot for target practice. Soon, she turned up a stand of scrubby trees, not much trunk on any of them, which in her eyes made them excellent targets. Her accuracy had been suffering lately.

Taking a deep breath, she turned her back and closed her eyes, concentrating her awareness on the position of the trees as she remembered them. Then she spun around, sending the blades from her twin wrist holsters whistling through the air and into the trunks, hitting eight of ten targets.

Better, she thought to herself. She found the other two blades hung in the branches mere inches from the trunk. She could see where one blade had clipped the edge of the bark before spinning off.

She collected her daggers again and reloaded. Then she walked back to her position and prepared to throw again. She had just closed her eyes in concentration when she heard a loud snapping sound somewhere to her left. She opened her eyes again and turned slightly to see a very large grizzly wolverine standing about fifteen feet away from her.

Its red eyes seemed to glow as it stood on its hind legs in a threatening pose, baring its teeth with a low growl. Her heart gave a pound of alarm, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Well, aren't you something," she commented softly.

Back at camp, Jet had woken up to realize Mai wasn't beside him. He'd dressed and walked out by the fire to look for her but no one was around.

"Mai?" he called, but got no answer. The fire was low. It looked as if someone put a little fuel on, but not enough to really get it going for the morning.

He thought of gathering some firewood, but decided to see if he couldn't find Mai first. It could be fun to wander around in the woods alone together, he thought with a little grin.

He tried to sense something through the soles of his boots, but got very little feedback. So he bent down to place his hands on the ground.

After only a moment of searching, he picked up the feel of her. She was on the edge of his ability to see, a good distance away from camp. She was walking around what might be small trees.

Then he watched as she stopped and turned around. Out of nowhere, a huge heavy animal stepped into his view as well. He could feel her heart jump in surprise, triggering a flood of adrenalin that ran through him causing his abilities to skyrocket in intensity.

In a sudden rush of clarity he could see her exact position, how she was standing, how her breathing suddenly deepened. He could see the animal clearly as well—it seemed to be a very large grizzly wolverine standing on its hind legs. He felt it growl and his heart constricted in a sudden rush of fear.

Then without warning, both Mai and the grizzly simply vanished from his sight. He couldn't feel anything anymore. His abilities were gone. He'd lost her.

Mai stayed perfectly still as she rapidly scanned the huge furry body for vulnerable points. With only a few inches of penetration to each knife, if the thing chose to attack her, she'd have to be certain of hitting those places where the blades would do the most damage. Otherwise, it would just shrug them off as casually as a bee sting and proceed to rip her head off.

She tried to remember everything she'd heard about dealing with wild animals like this one. Don't run—that much she did recall. But with grizzly wolverines did you raise your hands and act big or drop your head and act small? She couldn't remember.

So she compromised by backing slowly away from it. If Jet had been there, she felt sure he would be talking the animal down in a gentle voice, calming it until it finally ate from his hand. Mai didn't feel like she had that kind of ability or that kind of presence of mind.

Instead she continued to move quietly into the trees where it would have more trouble following her. She would have liked to ease toward camp, but the animal was unfortunately blocking her path.

At last after moving several yards away from it, she watched as the large beast dropped back to its all fours and shuffled off. She sighed in relief, then began a long, circular route back to the cave. She didn't really want to encounter it again and calmly chose to give it a wide berth.

Meanwhile his heart pounding in terror, Jet desperately ran for the place where he'd last felt her presence, tearing through the trees at breakneck speed. He rounded a boulder just in time to spy the huge lumbering form of the grizzly. It passed by him, giving him only a casual glance as if he weren't worth the bother.

The animal wandered by and Jet began to search the area for any sign of Mai, terrified that at any minute he'd find her body.

Nothing.

Jet placed both his hands on the large boulder and tried again to feel her.

Nothing.

He couldn't even feel the giant animal as close as it was. Fear turned to panic—where was she? He tried to feel for her again, but he couldn't concentrate for the terror that ripped through him.

He knew he was getting irrational, he knew that she had to be somewhere around there perfectly safe, probably back at camp by now. But the feeling of desperate emptiness that ran though him now was past rational thought. Mai was gone.

Night after night in the swamp had stirred up his memories—after years of trying to forget, he'd been forced to remember the way he'd felt when his parents died before his eyes, when his friends abandoned him at the reservoir, when Ozai's fire had taken everyone he had left.

His life had been marked over and over by loss—by a feeling of abandonment that had never truly left him.

Now Mai was gone.

The aching emptiness he'd always managed to keep at bay threatened to consume him and his emotions choked him even as he denied them.

He had only one thought as he raced through the woods, his heart pounding. He had to find her. He couldn't lose her too.

Mai was nearly back at camp again when she heard the sound of something tearing through the underbrush. She spun around, daggers at the ready, to see Jet burst out of the forest, his eyes wild. At top speed he ran to her and grabbed her in a tight embrace, practically tackling her with his momentum.

"What's wrong?" she managed to ask, but he didn't reply. He just sank to his knees as he continued to hold her, his face buried against her neck. She could feel him shaking with exertion as he tried to catch his breath.

Then she realized it was more than exertion. He was really upset.

"What's wrong?" she asked again, her thoughts racing. What could have happened at camp? Was somebody hurt? Had Zuko gotten that much worse?

"I lost you," Jet breathlessly managed to reply at last. "I saw the grizzly then I couldn't find you anymore."

All he could do was hold her and try his best not to break down in relief. He'd found her. He'd found her. He repeated the words to himself like a mantra. He could feel himself shaking.

"I'm fine," she said in a calm voice as she stroked his hair. "The grizzly just walked away when I walked away. Live and let live."

He tried to laugh, but the terror was still too fresh in his mind. The huge hole he felt in himself when she'd vanished from his sight had been too void, too empty. How could he live if something happened to her? How had his feelings for her gone so far, so fast? Jet was afraid on more levels than he could account for.

Somehow they managed to get back to camp before anyone else had even stirred. Silently, Jet forced himself to rebuild the fire, to act normally. Mai took the kettle to start tea, but the water jug was empty.

"Do you want to get water?" she asked him.

He just shook his head no. He wouldn't leave her and he didn't want to go back to the waterfall again right then. He'd kissed her by the waterfall yesterday morning. Someone else could get water this morning. If they went back to the waterfall right now, he wasn't sure what might happen. He wasn't sure of himself anymore and it bothered him badly.

She sat down next to him as the fire crackled, holding out her hands to warm them in the cool morning air. After a moment, he trusted himself enough to put his arm around her. Without hesitation, she snuggled into him.

His bending sight was back, he realized as he felt the movement of her sliding across the stone bench.

But even though the fear was gone, he still felt like he was caught up in a whirlpool of emotion, pulling him down.

He wanted to be with her, to always have her right there in his sight, to never have to feel that desperate aloneness again. But he had no way to keep her there. He had nothing to offer her to make her stay with him.

And even if she did stay, what was to prevent something from happening to her? What if that grizzly had killed her? How would he deal with the huge empty place that her death would leave inside him?

He hadn't allowed himself to really care about anyone in so long. He even kept his distance with Longshot and Smellerbee. Now he cared about Mai so much it terrified him.

How had he let it go so far? How had he not seen that he was giving himself away to her? What was so special about this woman that he suddenly couldn't live unless she was beside him?

Then he realized what it was. When he was with her, he felt whole again.

And no matter the fear, no matter the uncertainty, he wouldn't go back. He had to have her with him to keep him whole. Last night he'd told her that he loved her. This morning he knew that it was true.

The rest of the company began to join them two at a time beginning with Toph and Zuko. Seeing that the water jug was empty, Toph settled Zuko on his lounge in the sun, then headed back into the cave to the spring to refill it.

While she was gone, Aang and Katara came out with little Bumi, followed shortly by Sokka and Suki with Zutara and Toma. The children played near the fire, Zutara coming to sit next to Jet with a yawn.

"I'm still sleepy," she complained, looking plaintively up at him with those big blue eyes. Then she curled up next to him on the bench with her head on his knee. He didn't stir.

Toph returned with the water and the other adults got breakfast ready, but Jet and Mai simply sat there next to one another, Zutara asleep again beside them. Conversation rattled around them, but other than good morning, neither of them said anything.

"You two are mighty quiet this morning," Sokka said with a yawn of his own as he roused Zutara to eat her breakfast.

"I guess," Jet managed to reply.

Zuko came to join them by the fire as breakfast plates were passed. Jet was forced to remove his arm from Mai's shoulder in order to eat, but he still managed to stay in physical contact with her by shifting his knee against hers.

"So what are we up to today?" Katara asked the group in general.

"I thought I'd do a little hunting," Sokka answered. "We could use some fresh meat."

"Speak for yourself," Aang said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

"Jet, you want to come along?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know," Jet replied. "Toph might have lessons planned for me." He hoped so. He didn't want to venture so far away he couldn't feel Mai anymore. Part of him felt clingy and foolish, the other part just felt afraid.

"Nope," Toph spoke up. "Nothing until this afternoon. Go if you want to."

Jet's grip on his plate tightened. "Okay," he heard himself say to Sokka. "We'll go after breakfast."

Breakfast was over too fast. He found himself standing next to Mai at the dishpan as they washed up their dishes. "So, what are you going to do while we're out hunting?" he asked as casually as he could.

"I don't know," she replied just as casually. "I thought maybe I'd go with you."

Jet was equal parts delighted at the prospect of her company and fearful that they'd run into that grizzly wolverine again. Would he rather know she was safe at camp or have her in sight?

"Okay," he said to her. "Come along if you want to. Or feel free to hang out here." He decided to just let her make the call. He couldn't stand the pressure.

"Why don't you guys go have fun together?" she suggested as she dried her dish then his. "I'll just hang around here and wash my hair or something."

"Just don't go wandering off in the woods by yourself again," Jet said firmly. "That grizzly is probably still around."

"You're the one who needs to be careful of him," she said just as firmly. "Don't go looking for trouble, understand? Come back in one piece."

"Okay," he replied.

He walked into the cave to grab his bow and a couple of snares. Maybe they could catch one of those big prairie turkeys he saw last night. He was turning away from the storage area when Mai walked up.

"How long will you guys be out?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I don't really know. Not long," he replied, his eyes meeting hers in an unwavering gaze.

"Sokka is waiting on you," she said, her eyes never leaving his.

He walked closer, but she stood her ground, blocking the way back out of the cave. He stood within inches of her, gripping the bow and snares so tightly his knuckles whitened.

"I wanted to tell you--" she began, but didn't finish her statement. Instead after a long moment, she stood up on tiptoe to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Be careful," she whispered.

Then she backed away to let him pass. Outside Jet could hear Sokka calling to him.

He left the cave, his mood somber.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Toph sat on her lounge in the sun next to Zuko, bending a nice shade over herself. She watched as Jet walked out of the cave. She'd done her best not to spy on them, but had been aware of the fact that Mai had given him a kiss on the cheek before he left. She wondered why he wasn't happier about it.

Jet and Sokka headed off down the trail away from camp, armed with Jet's bow, Sokka's sword, and a couple of snares. Toph listened for a few minutes and found a flock of prairie turkeys not too far away. Maybe Jet would sense them too. Turkey for dinner would be good.

Aang, Katara, Suki, and the kids went off on Appa to look for berries, leaving the camp quiet for once. Toph was prepared to enjoy it.

Then Mai came out to sit alone by the fire. She didn't seem too happy either. In fact, she seemed so unhappy that Toph decided to let Zuko sun on his own for a few minutes while she checked in on her.

"What's the matter?" Toph asked as she walked up to the fire.

Mai looked up at her in surprise. "Nothing," she lied.

"You're lying," Toph replied evenly. "And don't try to deny it because I'll see that lie too."

"Okay," Mai confessed. "There is something bothering me."

"So?" Toph invited clarification.

"I don't think I'm ready to talk about it," Mai replied. Toph could see that was the truth.

"Jet's a good guy," Toph offered. "I'm sure whatever is going on between you two will work itself out." Then she turned to go back to where her husband lay in the sun.

"Wait a minute," Mai said, then patted the seat next to her.

Toph went back and sat down. After a moment, Mai continued, "I think Jet's the guy."

"That's wonderful!" Toph exclaimed. "So what's the problem?"

"He told me last night that he loved me," Mai said with a sigh. "And this morning I had a run-in with a grizzly wolverine that scared him pretty badly."

"Are you okay?" Toph asked in concern.

"I'm fine," Mai answered. "It was no big deal. But Jet took it kind of hard, I think."

Toph sat back as Mai told her the story of their meeting in the forest.

"So what's bothering you about this? That he was concerned about you?" Toph asked when she'd finished.

Mai sat back herself and began to pick at her skirt. "I'm not exactly sure," she finally continued. "Part of me is flattered, but part of me is scared."

"What are you scared of?" Toph asked gently.

Mai looked away, unable to answer. She was so used to seeing Jet in control. Even in the swamp, he'd been the one to take care of her. But just now, she'd seen him so afraid. Afraid for her.

Then Toph asked her the question she'd been asking herself over and over, "How do you feel about him?"

Mai decided to just come clean. "I don't know. I want to be with him all the time. But it's so scary to think I mean that much to him. I had no idea what to do."

Toph patted her on the shoulder and said, "I'm going to tell you something a very wise woman once told me. Whatever you do, be sure Jet knows he has your respect. Even if he feels like a scared kid, as long as he's a man to you, he can handle it."

Then Toph went back to sit next to Zuko. Mai watched as Zuko's face lit up at Toph's approach. She tried to remember if Jet looked at her that way, but she could only remember seeing the fear in his eyes, feeling him tremble against her.

She didn't want that kind of power. She didn't want anybody that dependent on her for his happiness. It was too much responsibility.

Maybe she should just walk away, she tried to convince herself. Maybe that would be the best thing for both of them.

But he was the guy.

Somewhere inside her, she had to find the courage to love him, the willingness to let his happiness rest in her without fear.

Mai had never believed love was easy, but she wasn't prepared for it to be so hard.

Meanwhile, Sokka had come to another conclusion: Jet had gone insane.

That was the only explanation. It wasn't enough to have laid snares in the most inaccessible of places. Now he was easing out over a canyon on a ledge barely wide enough to stand on and not wide enough to draw a bow on—all in hopes of shooting one of the big wild turkeys in the flock gathered in the valley below.

As he watched Jet lean away from the wall enough to draw the bow for his shot, Sokka began to wonder if he had some kind of death wish.

To his surprise, however, Jet not only managed to get the shot off, he nailed one of the biggest birds on the first try. As the tall earthbender backed off the ledge, Sokka applauded softly.

"That was some impressive shooting," he said. "Now who's going down there to pick up dinner?"

Jet didn't even break stride, but just tossed Sokka the bow and proceeded to climb down the rough hillside. His footing gave way halfway down, sending him in an uncomfortable slide down the embankment. He reached the bottom in a shower of loose rock and dirt.

Without even pausing to dust himself off, he strode over to kneel down beside the fallen bird. He laid one hand on it and bowed his head for a few seconds. Then he picked it up and began the long climb back.

As he watched Jet fight his way through the loose rocks, slipping, sliding, and scraping his way up the hill, Sokka knew he had gone insane.

Finally Jet managed to reach the top and sat there on the dirt, panting with the effort, ignoring the sweat that ran off his forehead and the blood from numerous scrapes and cuts that ran down his arms and hands.

"What is wrong with you?" Sokka asked him bluntly.

"Nothing," Jet replied, his breath still coming heavily.

Sokka knew a lie when he heard one, but didn't call him on it. Instead he reached out to carry the turkey, but Jet waved him off. "I've got it," he said, still a little breathless from his climb back up the hillside.

"Is this enough hunting for you or do you want to go stalk a spotted razorback or hyenaleopard?" Sokka asked sarcastically.

"We could go after the grizzly wolverine I saw this morning," Jet suggested.

"Are you serious?" Sokka replied in disbelief. "Those things are really dangerous. Was there really one somewhere around here?"

"Yep," Jet answered nonchalantly. "Mai ran across it this morning."

"And now you want to go hunt for it?" Sokka clarified.

"Sure, why not?" Jet said with a devilish grin. "Lots of meat on it. Great pelt for the winter."

Sokka rubbed his chin with his fingers as if in contemplation. Then he stated very firmly, "No. We are headed back to camp with what we've got. I, for one, am not suicidal."

"Okay," Jet replied, walking briskly back toward camp, "if you don't want to risk it." Then he paused and looked back across the landscape. "I'll come back and check these snares later on. Maybe we'll catch another turkey."

They returned to camp to find Aang unloading a basket of small fruits. "We saw a bunch of berry bushes a couple of miles away," he said merrily. "Katara and I are going back there in a little while—this time without the kids. Between making sure they didn't walk off a cliff or eat the green ones, it was just a little bit difficult to keep up with them out there," he laughed.

"Hey, Suki and I will hang out in camp with them," Sokka offered. "They'll probably be ready for a nap soon after lunch anyway."

Meanwhile, Jet filled the big washpan with water and proceeded to dress the turkey for roasting. Soon, he had the meat ready for the spit Sokka was busily setting up over the fire. Aang walked past just as he was discarding the water and entrails. The avatar just looked a little pale and shook his head.

"What's with Aang?" Jet asked as he and Sokka put the meat on to cook.

"Vegetarian," Sokka replied. Jet nodded in understanding. To each his own, he guessed.

Then he looked down at his dirty, bloody clothing—mostly his own blood from the numerous scrapes and cuts he'd gotten sliding down then climbing back up the hillside—and decided that the sight of him was probably enough to put the rest of the group off dinner.

"I'm going to wash off," he said to Sokka and went to grab yet another change of clothes.

Then he headed down the tunnel toward the waterfall. He didn't bother to take a light with him. His improved sense of bending told him exactly where he was with only an occasional touch on the wall to adjust his trajectory through the mountain.

He got there and immediately stripped out of his filthy clothes, plunging into the waterfall. He hoped the cold water would clear his mind.

He managed to get himself clean again, the icy water dulling the pain from the cuts and bruises he'd sustained. He'd just pulled on his trousers when he felt someone coming. Mai. He reached around for his clean shirt, but hadn't managed to lay his hand on it when she came around the bend of the tunnel, lamp in hand.

"Hey," he said, a little awkwardly. He hadn't expected her.

"What are you doing back in here in the dark?" she asked in surprise.

"Washing up. What are you doing back in here by yourself?" he asked in return.

"I told you I was going to wash my hair," she explained as she approached him. Then she noticed the scrapes on his arms and chest. "What did you do to yourself?" she asked, coming closer and holding the lamp up where she could see.

"I slid down a hill," he said, a little embarrassed by her scrutiny. She picked up his towel and proceeded to blot away the blood that still oozed a little from the worst of the cuts and scrapes. Then she ran her finger over one of the many fine white scars that marked his body.

"Where did you get these?" she asked in concern.

"Rough living," he said dismissively and tried to reach for his shirt but was distracted by the feel of her hand running across yet another long scar that ran from just beneath his ribs in a diagonal across his stomach.

"Didn't jump back quite far enough that time," he explained. "But I did manage to jump back enough to keep my innards in. That particular guy almost got me. Almost."

"What happened to him?" Mai asked, looking up into his face in concern.

"He ended up in prison for murder—just not mine," Jet answered and found his shirt in the lamplight. He reached up to slip it on over his head.

"Don't do that," Mai instructed firmly. "Wait until they've stopped bleeding or go get Katara to fix you up. Otherwise you'll just bleed through your shirt."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. Then he asked, "Do you want me to wait for you while you wash your hair?"

"If you want to," she answered. "But you have to turn your back."

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked in a teasing voice, but turned around all the same.

Mai set the lamp down and slipped out of her tunic, leaving her undershirt on. It would just have to get wet, she thought to herself. Then she swept her hair over her head and stuck it into the waterfall, gasping at the cold.

Jet laughed, "It's a little chilly, isn't it?"

"Freezing is the word," she replied with a shiver. "I don't know how you stand to put your whole body in this."

"You get used to it," he said with another laugh. "After a while it starts to feel good—refreshing."

After a few minutes, she'd finished and dressed, wrapping her hair up in the towel she'd brought with her.

Jet pulled on his boots, sorry to see the earthbending image he'd had of her fade away. Part of him felt a little like he was spying on her by watching her when she'd told him to turn around. The other part said it wasn't like he could really see anything. All the same, he did enjoy seeing what he could.

"Can I put my shirt on yet?" he asked. The air was a little cool. Plus he didn't really want to advertise his carelessness to everyone else.

She walked over to give his scrapes another look. "I told you to be careful," she chided. "Sokka was telling us how risky that shot was."

"Sokka likes to talk," Jet responded dismissively. "I was perfectly safe the entire time."

"I'm sure you were," she replied evenly. "But all the same, I don't like for you to get hurt." She ran a finger over yet another scar. "It looks like you've been hurt often enough already."

He reached out to grab her hand. She didn't need to touch him like that. She didn't need to care about him like that. It took all his concentration to keep himself in check as it was.

She took a step back away from him. "I'm sorry," she said.

"No," he replied. "You've got nothing to be sorry for."

Then he pulled on his shirt and grabbed her hand, glad to have some continuing contact with her. He picked up their things and headed back out of the tunnel. She held the lamp in her hand, but he never consulted his eyes for the return trip. His heart told him where to go.

Zuko lay in the sun, deep in thought. When they got back to Omashu, he had so much to do. First of all, he had to write Uncle and tell him what was going on.

He debated whether or not to tell him about the baby, then decided he really wanted to tell him in person. He smiled to himself at the thought of Uncle's expression when he heard he'd be a grandfather.

Then he smiled to himself again. He really would be the baby's grandfather. After all he'd been Zuko's father since he was fourteen years old. It had just take Zuko a few years to understand.

Toph came to sit beside him.

"Can I tell you something?" Zuko asked.

"Of course you can, Sparky," Toph answered, reaching out to rub his arm. "You can tell me anything."

"I want to tell you about what happened to me on the day I had the Agni Kai with my father," he began.

Toph perked up. This was unexpected. Zuko had told them the story years ago at the Western Air Temple when they'd been getting ready for battle with Ozai. What was he going to tell her now?

Zuko began retelling the story she'd already heard—how he'd questioned a general's order and been forced to face his father in the Agni Kai as punishment for his impertinence. But what she hadn't heard before was the part Iroh had played after it was over.

"I remember hearing my father and Uncle talking outside the door of the sickroom where they'd taken me," Zuko continued quietly. "Uncle was yelling at him—I never heard him that upset before or since. He kept asking my father how he could do such a thing to his own son."

Zuko lay there for a moment in quiet remembrance. Through the haze of pain from the burns he'd sustained, he'd listened so hard for his father's answer. He'd wanted to know the same thing so badly. How could his father have done such a thing to his own son?

"He must understand fire," Ozai had replied in a tone as hard as steel. "Fire is uncompromising. Fire has no mercy."

"You are the one who doesn't understand, Ozai," Iroh had stated just as firmly. "You've just scarred this boy for life—in more ways than one. He's your son, Ozai. Go to him. Make it right somehow before it's too late."

Zuko's heart had leaped at that. Perhaps his father would come to him and tell him it was for his own good. That he'd learned his lesson. He would accept the punishment like a man.

But his father had not come in. Instead, Zuko had heard his father say, "Zuko must make amends. He must earn the right to be called my son. He must regain his honor. I will set him a task—a task that should give him ample time to reflect on his position and his duties."

Then in a loud voice, Ozai had announced, "Let Prince Zuko find the avatar and bring him to me. Then he will have erased this stain on his honor. Then he will have earned his position by my side."

"That's insane," Iroh had retorted. "The avatar has not been seen in a hundred years. It's a fool's errand to search for him."

"Then you shall join him," Ozai had stated in a sinister voice. "Go search for the avatar, brother. Perhaps you will find him and restore your own honor in the Fire Nation."

After a moment, Iroh had entered the room alone. Zuko had closed his eyes and pretended he was asleep. He didn't want to talk to him.

"Zuko," Iroh had sighed. "What has he done to you? To send you on such a quest. Just enough hope to drive you insane searching. Give it up. Give him up."

"No," Zuko had whispered through the pain. "I will not give up. I will have my honor back. I will have my place. My father will be proud of me on the day I bring the avatar to the capital in chains."

"I am already proud of you, Zuko," Iroh said. "Does that count for nothing?"

"You are not my father," Zuko had answered coldly.

Back at the cave, Zuko looked at Toph with sadness in his eyes. "But he was. Uncle had already become my father. When he took me in, he accepted me just like I was. No matter how many ways I found to hurt him, no matter how many times I turned my anger on him, he was always there for me. He never stopped loving me and trying to help me see the right path."

Then Zuko reached over to place his hand on her stomach. "I know how to be a father," he continued in a soft voice. "I have the best father in the world. All I have to do is take care of my son like Uncle took care of me."

"You are going to be the most wonderful father a baby could ever have," Toph assured him as she placed her hand over his. He pulled her even closer into his embrace and they lay there together in the sun, side by side.

After a moment, Zuko held out his hand. Part of him was afraid to try. Another part was afraid not to. Aang's warning that he could lose his ability to bend completely had struck a nerve. Bending was part of who he was. He couldn't imagine living without it. He wondered how Jet had managed to survive with such an important part of himself buried.

He needed to be able to bend again. So he took a deep breath and began to work through the basic forms in his mind.

Relaxing against him, Toph felt his breathing change, become deeper, slower. She knew that breath. She'd felt it so many times from the balcony as her husband began his morning meditations and bending workout. He was going to try to bend.

Toph continued to lie there as still as she could. She didn't know if he was aware that she knew what he was doing, and she didn't want to break his concentration.

She remembered the fire in Lian Shen's garden, how she'd been able to really see it. The memory had grown distant in her mind, especially without a reference in her usual way of seeing. But she tried her best to hold onto that image, to imagine that dancing flame in her husband's hand.

In most ways, Zuko's bending was invisible to her. She got a sense of heightened activity when he worked and had a general idea of the shape and strength of the flame being produced by the subtle vibrations that traveled through his body. But couldn't really see it despite working a very long time to learn how to see firebending as well as she had.

She remembered so many years ago watching Zuko and Aang practice for hours on end, trying to guess the shape and form of their jets of flame just by feel. Katara had accused her many times of just wanting to watch the boys, and there was a good deal of truth in that.

But she'd also really needed to be able to see firebending, especially if they were going to try to defeat a whole army of firebenders. She'd needed to know if someone was shooting flames at her before she felt her eyebrows burning.

But in the end, fire was mostly invisible to her and apart from the heat, fairly boring. It was far more fun to watch Zuko spar with his swords. Then she could easily see the result of his efforts as his blades met the blade of his sparring partner as he backed and dodged, parrying Zuko's cuts and lunges. The vibrations as the metal swords rang against each other carried in both her ears and in her vision.

Now, though, the idea of being able to see Zuko bend in any shape, form, or fashion was extremely interesting to her.

She found herself holding her breath as she concentrated all her attention on his upturned palm. Then she saw it, the smallest of vibrations—fire. She watched with a huge smile on her face as the tongue of flame grew in his hand, his skin becoming warmer as he worked.

"Oh, way to go, Sparky," she breathed.

Then he closed his hand in victory and pulled her into him, kissing her with a combination of excitement and relief.

"Let's get out of here," Zuko whispered in her ear, his voice as warm as an open flame.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The afternoon passed slowly. Even though Zuko was now bending again, he was not completely recovered as Katara reminded him. He had to continue to heal and especially to work the damaged muscles and nerves of his leg.

"This is just the first part of rehab," she informed him. "Once you get enough strength back, you can begin working that leg. Otherwise it will stay weak."

There was no chance of that, Zuko thought to himself privately. Now that he was bending again, he felt much, much stronger. So much so that he could really tell how weak his injured leg had become.

"Don't worry about me," Zuko assured her. "My sparring partner at home is a real punisher. He 'll whip me into shape."

"We can't go back home right away," Toph reminded him. "We've still got to finish up with King Bumi. Jet's got to pass muster with him."

"Aang can teach me," Jet offered.

"Nope," Toph replied. "I'm under orders from the swamp chick. If I don't come through on my promise to deliver a new king of Omashu, she might decide to turn me into a philodandelion or something."

"She wouldn't do that," Zuko chided. "Lady Lian Shen was really nice."

"To you maybe," Toph answered, giving him a little cuddle on the arm. "Oh, firebenders—I just love firebenders," she teased in her sultriest swamp diva voice.

Aang laughed. "She's got a point, Zuko. You might want to just let Toph finish up before heading back. Lady Lian Shen was pretty clear on that point," he said. "We'll pull out first thing in the morning. It'll take two trips anyway for all of us to get back."

"I vote we put the kids on the first bison home," Sokka said as he wrestled with a very crabby little Toma. "Afternoon naptime is sacred." Then he got up to put the toddler in bed.

Katara picked up Bumi as well. "I agree," she said as they headed back into the cave.

"Hey, Jet," Sokka called back. "Keep an eye on dinner, will you?"

Jet nodded and went to keep the spit turning. The turkey was looking pretty good if he did say so himself.

Soon, Sokka was back, giving the air an appreciative smell. "We couldn't leave before dinner anyway," he sighed. "I love prairie turkey."

"That reminds me," Jet said, rising to his feet. "I need to go check those snares. No need to trap anything else if we're out of here tomorrow."

"I'll go with you," Mai offered. "Sokka has been telling all kinds of stories about where you set those things. I'd like to see for myself."

"You guys go ahead," Sokka said as he relaxed by the fire with Suki at his side. "I'll be interested to see if you actually caught anything."

They walked off away from camp, Jet leading the way. Soon, however, he paused to help her cross a dry creek bed, offering his hand as she jumped a little ditch. Once on the other side, he didn't let go.

After they'd walked a while, they came to the first of his snares. Mai had to agree with Sokka. What had the boy been thinking to climb down there in the first place? The snare was still empty, and Jet worked his way back up to her. He slung the snare over his shoulder and kept walking, taking her hand once again in his.

The second snare was in an even more inaccessible place. He had to cross a fallen log down onto a ledge and then hop down a pair of huge boulders before sliding onto the grass of a little valley far below. To her surprise, he'd actually snared a turkey this time.

She watched as he knelt by the snare, placing his hand on the bird and apparently talking to it before releasing it from the snare. The turkey took a few tentative steps, then half ran, half flew away. Jet slung the snare over his shoulder and began to crawl back up the rock face.

She had a very nervous moment as the fallen log gave an unstable roll beneath his feet, but he managed to keep his footing and walked back up it to stand beside her, a little out of breath from the long steep climb.

"Be sure to tell Sokka that we caught one here," Jet said with a grin. "He told me I was insane for bothering with that one."

"I want to know what you were telling that turkey," she stated curiously.

Jet gave her a sheepish grin. "I was apologizing," he admitted.

"Apologizing to dinner?" she asked with a smile of her own.

"I always apologize, especially if it really is dinner," he answered as he took her hand and began to walk back. "They're giving their life so I can live. I'm always grateful."

Mai considered her own attitude. In the city the meat came to the kitchen already butchered and ready to cook. She never really thought about the fact that she should be grateful to it.

"Maybe you should be a vegetarian like Aang," she said.

"I tried for a while—mostly because I was sick of death. I didn't want to take a life even to survive," he said as he pushed past a scrubby bush, holding the prickly branches out of the way for her. "But I eventually made peace with the fact that I personally need meat to live. But I'm always grateful and always careful to take no more than I need and to be merciful. Life's too valuable not to."

They walked through the woods quietly, enjoying the time together. Mai thought about what he'd said and then she remembered that the king of Omashu was supposed to be a protector of life, of the swamp, of the earth.

Suddenly Jet stopped in front of her, pulling her behind him. "Our big friend is back," he said quietly. "Are you armed?"

"Of course," she replied, looking around for the grizzly, but not seeing him. "Where is he?"

"He's wandering this way," Jet answered calmly. "I don't think he's scented us yet, but if the wind picks up, he probably will. Let's see if we can move upwind of him."

They walked off to one side, trying not to make any noise. Mai was a little confused. Jet had been so worried about her that morning. Now, he seemed completely at ease with the prospect of being pursued by a giant wild animal.

She decided to ask. "How can you be so calm about this?"

Jet looked back at her quizzically and replied, "It's just an animal. It wants to avoid us just as much as we want to avoid it. In fact, if he does come running, try not to kill him. At least not until you have to." Then he turned to face her fully, gripping her shoulders firmly before continuing, "But if you have to kill him to save your own life, you do it, do you hear me? No hesitation."

She could only nod in answer as he reached down to the ground to get a better feel of the animal's distance from them.

As he knelt there in quiet concentration, Mai felt the wind shift direction against her. Then Jet's eyes widened a little. "He's heading this way," he commented, then added, "fast," in a slightly more intense voice.

Jet cast around for a good spot for the two of them to make a stand. No good going up a tree—the trees around there were either scrubby little bushes the grizzly would just knock over or tall evergreens with no branches low enough to begin climbing with any speed at all, especially with Mai in a skirt.

The grizzly wolverine burst into view, running on all fours with incredible speed. Jet pushed Mai behind him again and reached reflexively for the sword that no longer hung on his hip. "I'm going to have to get a new sword," he commented to himself. Then he pulled his dagger, but kept it down by his side.

The animal stopped about twenty feet away and reared up on its hind legs with a roar of challenge.

"Hey," Jet began in a calm voice, "we didn't mean to intrude, big guy. We're just out here catching a few turkeys, taking a walk." He pulled the snares off his shoulder and held them out. "See, just doing a little hunting. You want to see?" He tossed the snares toward the wolverine and a bit to one side.

When the animal bent down to sniff and investigate, Jet took a few steps backward, keeping Mai firmly centered behind him. At his movement, however, the huge grizzly reared up again and growled.

"Sorry, sorry," Jet said quietly. "Didn't mean to spook you. Just giving you some breathing room, you know."

Then the grizzly bent again to investigate the snares once more, turning them over with a huge clawed forepaw. The size of it made Mai's stomach clench in anxiety.

Despite her resolve to remain calm, when the animal smashed one of the snares apart with a single lazy blow, she felt her breath quicken and her heart race.

"It's okay," Jet assured her. "Try to just stay calm. Don't let him know he's getting to you." Again Mai was taken completely aback by Jet's apparent ease. "If he begins to run this way, make sure it's not a false challenge before you throw at him. He may try to just fake us out, and I'd hate to turn a fake out into a real attack by hurting him."

"How will I know which is which?" Mai asked, her voice shaking a little.

"A fake attack is fast for a couple of steps, then slows and stops. A real attack is slow for a couple of steps, then picks up speed," he explained.

"I don't know fast from slow with this thing," she replied, growing steadily more anxious.

"I'll tell you when to throw then," Jet said coolly. "Just listen to me."

The grizzly continued to paw and disintegrate the snares Jet had tossed him, then turned to look off into the woods as if something new had captured his interest.

They both sighed in relief as the animal made a couple of steps as if to walk away again. Then without warning, it turned and ran a few loping steps in their direction.

"Hit him," he instructed firmly.

It took Mai a second to realize what he meant, the sight of the running mass of fur and bared teeth having taken all her attention. Then she cast all ten of her daggers directly into the now rapidly approaching animal. Unfortunately, she didn't have much chance to aim, considering that the grizzly was on the run, and none of them hit a spot sensitive enough to cause him to stop.

Then Jet pushed her to the ground and crouched over her. She could feel the ground shake as the grizzly ran over them, Jet's full bodyweight pressing her to the earth.

The grizzly turned at the end of its run, and Mai looked up from the ground to see it rear up and growl again. Something warm and wet ran down her neck. Jet lay still and heavy upon her.

Then the beast began that slow lope again and her blood froze in her veins. It was coming back.

She watched it approach, knowing that it would keep coming back to attack them until they were both dead. It began to speed up, pounding the earth, its teeth bared in a fierce growl.

Then without warning, a wall of stone shot up between them, dust falling all around her. She heard a powerful thud as the animal plowed headlong into the mass of rock.

"Jet! Mai!" a voice called—Toph, Mai realized in relief.

Toph ran up to them, out of breath from her desperate run to try to reach them. Sokka right behind her, they slid to where Jet lay unmoving, shielding Mai with his body. They eased him off her, careful not to jostle him too much.

"Are you okay?" Toph asked her.

"Yes," she managed to answer, then looked down at Jet. The warm wetness that covered her neck was blood. The grizzly had backhanded him as it passed, creating deep gashes across his upper back and neck. He wasn't moving. Mai began to panic.

Toph must have felt her heart race because she assured her, "He's alive—just unconscious. Sokka, do you think we can get him back to camp like this?"

Sokka looked over the wounds carefully. "The wounds look pretty nasty, but don't appear to have damaged his spine or anything. Can you see any sign of broken bones?"

Toph frowned in deep concentration as she placed her hands on Jet's back, neck, and head. "Nope, I think the blow just knocked him out," she said. "If we're going, we better go. Sleeping beauty over there is beginning to wake up himself."

"Maybe he'll just wander away to nurse his headache," Sokka suggested. Then he looked down at Jet. "This'll be easier if he can walk out of here on his own. Jet! Hey, Jet!" he called loudly. "Can you hear me? Can you get up, buddy?"

"Where's Appa when you need him?" Toph complained when Jet failed to stir.

"Gone after berries again," Sokka replied as he looked around, clearly in search of something. "At least supper will be good. I hope Zuko keeps the spit turning on the turkey."

Mai thought she would explode. "How can you talk about dinner? We've got to get Jet back to camp! Now!" she yelled in frustration.

"Yep, and this is how we'll do it," Sokka said, as he walked toward a couple of scrubby bushes.

Within a few minutes, Sokka's incredibly sharp sword had felled the trees with a single blow and he'd used strips of cloth torn from Mai's underskirt to lash them together in a sort of makeshift stretcher. The branches were a bit on the prickly side, so she pulled off her overtunic to stretch across it to protect his face.

Carefully they managed to get him rolled aboard face down, his gashes still bleeding more heavily than Mai would have liked, despite her attempt to stanch the blood using Toph's underskirt. "It's a good thing you girls come heavily clothed," Sokka commented wryly.

They headed back toward camp, Sokka dragging the litter behind him. Despite Toph's repeated assurances that Jet was not in danger, Mai couldn't help but worry. Every bump in the trail, every shift of the branches caused the terrible gashes to bleed anew. Plus, he hadn't regained consciousness yet.

They walked into camp, taking Jet straight back to bed. Suki brought Mai a handful of towels and clean water and she began to clean the gashes carefully. His shirt had to be cut away, the back of it shredded by the wolverine's claws.

Where was Katara? she kept asking herself as she worked. There was only so much she could do for him. She felt helpless. She wished he would wake up.

Within moments, Jet began to stir.

"Hey," she whispered to him, "just lie still, okay?"

"Ow, ow, ow," he replied, still attempting to move.

"Shhhh, be still," Mai repeated more firmly and placed a hand on his uninjured shoulder. "You've got some pretty bad cuts on your back. If you move, you'll open them again and I just got them to stop bleeding."

"Did I bleed through my shirt?" he asked with the tiniest of laughs.

"Yes," she answered. "Now be still."

"What happened?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "You made sure of that."

"Then how's the grizzly?" he asked.

"He carried off all ten of my blades with him," Mai began wryly, "but it took a stone wall from Toph to stop him. I think he got away with only a headache for his troubles."

"I hate to think of him out there with your knives sticking in him," Jet sighed.

"The blades are only a couple of inches long," Mai replied with absolutely no sympathy at all. "He'll just rub them out against the nearest tree. They probably didn't even penetrate past that thick fur of his."

"Still," Jet stated, "I feel bad about it."

"You feel bad about him?" Mai repeated in disbelief. "What about you? Look at you! Getting yourself hurt again when I told you not to." She softened her words with a stroke of his hair and a kiss on his forehead. "You scared me to death, you know. You've been out at least twenty minutes."

"Twenty, huh?" he asked. "That's not bad for me. I've been knocked cold so many times over the years, it sometimes takes an hour before I know where I am again."

Mai looked at him in a mixture of shock and dismay. "You have got to take better care of yourself," she instructed. "That is so not good for you."

"Can I please sit up?" he asked plaintively. "I'm getting a crick in my neck lying here like this."

She helped him adjust his position on the bed so he was more comfortable, but absolutely refused to allow him to sit up. "Not until Katara gets a look at these gashes. And while she's at it, she can heal up the rest of you from this morning," she stated firmly.

"I've been hurt a lot worse than this and got up and made my own way home," Jet retorted.

"Only because I wasn't there to take care of you," she answered just as tartly.

Soon, Katara and Aang had returned on Appa with a large basket full of berries. Toph immediately directed her in to Jet's side.

Mai recounted the story of the attack as the waterbender worked on him, Aang watching in concern. Katara healed all his gashes, cuts, and scrapes, then she swirled her waters around his head with a frown on her face.

"Jet, how many times have you been knocked out in your life?" Katara asked seriously.

"I lost count," he answered in a bored voice. "It's no big deal."

"It is too," Katara replied. "You don't need to treat this lightly. Too many concussions can cause permanent damage. Be careful from now on, do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jet replied dutifully, but Mai could tell he did not take her warning seriously.

"Mai, keep a close eye on him for signs that he's getting worse—dizziness, nausea, headache, blurred vision, okay?" Katara said, following Aang back out of the cave.

When they were alone again, Jet stood up, forcing down the rush of nausea that flooded his system. There was no way he was going to let Katara be right. He was fine. Absolutely fine. Never better.

Mai walked over to him as he pulled his last clean shirt out of his pack. She helped him ease it on over his stiff muscles and the tender places where the healing was still finishing up. Then she put her arms around him gently and pulled him into her embrace.

He held her for a few minutes, then he pulled away and looked down at her. "I'm fine," he said firmly. "All healed up and ready to go. It's supper time. Let's go get some of that turkey, okay?"

They walked out of the cave to join the rest of the group gathered around the fire.

Dinner was every bit as good as Sokka had promised. The turkey was tender and delicious—Zuko had made sure to keep the spit turning while they were gone. Aang had turned the gathered berries and fruits into some sort of cobbler type dish that was tartly sweet and delicious. Another cassavayam had been turned up during the morning and was perfectly baked with just the right touch of honey and butter.

At last, they all sat back, sated and content. Zuko was bending again, Jet and Mai had survived the grizzly wolverine attack with only minor injuries after Katara's healing, and they would all be headed back to Omashu tomorrow.

It was with pleasure that everyone turned in, ready for a good night's sleep and a nice flight out in the morning.

Jet and Mai crawled into bed together, curling up against one another without a thought. They lay there quietly, each pondering the day's events.

Finally, Mai spoke up. "I'll miss this when we get back home," she sighed.

"Miss what? The cave? The dark? The damp?" Jet asked with a laugh.

"No," she said quietly, "I'll miss this. Being here with you."

Jet lay there with his arm around her and considered what she was saying. She was right. Once they were back in Omashu, their lives would go back to normal. She'd be Fire Nation Representative with an apartment full of expensive treasures and he'd go back to find a bedroll in the storage room of the leather shop.

"What are we going to do?" she asked. "When will I see you?"

"I don't know," Jet admitted. "I guess I'll be around working with Toph and doing that king-in-training thing."

"Good," she said with a sigh. "But it won't be like this anymore."

"No, I guess not," he replied quietly, kissing her hair. He loved her. He knew that. He would have died protecting her. He would live to make her happy.

She rolled over to face him, tracing his cheek with her fingertips. He captured her hand and pressed a warm kiss into her palm.

She exhaled with pleasure at his touch, and he rolled up on his elbow and looked down at her, drinking in the sight of her. He reached out to touch her, feeling the soft warmth of the embroidered silk of her blouse against his skin, running his hand across the curves of her body.

She sighed again and he was nearly undone by the sound. He gathered her close to him and kissed her. She returned his embrace completely, holding nothing back.

"I love you," he whispered again into her ear as he kissed her throat.

She caught her breath and wound her fingers into his hair in reply. Her body molded itself to him and he could feel her breasts rise and fall with her breath. He wanted to be with her so badly. He wanted to be part of her. But something held him back. Something nagged at his mind until he finally pushed himself away, breathing heavily.

"No," he said, his voice soft but firm, "not like this." Somehow he managed to rearrange things so that she still lay in his arms, but with her back to him. They lay there together, their breathing finally slowing and calming. At last, he felt her relax into sleep.

Jet lay there, part of him still reeling with desire for her, wanting nothing more than to rouse her again, to take whatever she was willing to offer.

After all, he was no gentleman.

But the other part of him, the stronger, better part of him remembered another, more important truth.

She was a lady.

At last, he slept.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Omashu glittered in the late afternoon sun before them like a jewel in a king's crown. The group aboard Appa gave a collective sigh of relief as they landed in the huge, empty central courtyard. Sokka, Suki, Katara, and the children walked out to meet them.

As Jet gave Toph a hand down from Appa's back, he found himself looking around in amazement. He'd never been in a place like this. He'd always had to look in from the street outside and wonder what lay behind those massive gates that led to the center of the city.

Now he knew. He gazed around him in wonder. The large formal courtyard was surrounded on all sides by beautiful multistory buildings that looked to Jet like palaces.

But as he looked to the north he could see the large, ornate staircase that led up to what had to be the real palace. It was beautiful. Not a single corner was bare of elaborately shaped decorations. Every doorway, every window, every arch bore incredibly detailed moldings and trims. The windowpanes sparkled in the sun.

The central courtyard also boasted a beautiful fountain, the centerpiece of which was a large golden-brown stone statue of a man and woman embracing. Jet looked up at the lovers, noting how perfectly the artist had captured the emotion between them—longing, tenderness, and sadness combined in one. The inscription merely read "OmaShu."

"I am so happy to be back," Toph sighed at his side. "The first thing I want is a nice hot bath and a change of clothes."

"You're telling me," Mai commented as Jet reached up to offer her his hand as well. "Then everyone comes to my place for dinner, okay?"

"I don't know about that," Sokka said. "The last time we were at your place, I nearly worried myself to death that Toma was going to break something."

"Besides," Katara interjected, "we've already got dinner planned for our place. It's kid friendly."

Jet looked around and asked, "Where do you guys live?"

By way of answer, they all headed off toward the building directly opposite the palace. "These are the diplomatic quarters," Mai explained as they crossed the courtyard. "The various ambassadors live here. It also contains guest suites and the avatar's designated residence."

They walked through a gigantic archway that cut into the building and Jet could see that the building was built surrounding another courtyard. This one was not quite as huge as the main one, but still big enough to have held all the shops on either side of the street for several blocks in the neighborhood where the leather shop was located.

The courtyard boasted a bending practice ground, complete with spectator stands, a garden full of lush plants, various seating arbors, another beautiful fountain, and a large grassy area, perfect for the children. In fact, they ran to it immediately, rolling in the grass and chasing each other. Appa also found himself a nice shady spot adjacent to it and prepared to rest after the long journey.

As they walked along a stone pathway along the courtyard, they were met by a distinguished looking gentleman wearing earthy green robes and a green velvet cap with a gold tassel. He gave a very respectful bow as Aang stepped forward.

"Peng, we will be needing another suite of rooms made available, if that's possible," Aang said, returning the man's bow politely.

"What size will you be needing? For a family?" Peng asked, casting a curious look at the group.

"No, just for an individual," Aang replied. "For Master Jet, who will be staying here for an audience with King Bumi."

Peng gave Jet a quick glance. Jet fancied he could see a bit of disdain at his appearance creep into the man's carefully schooled features. But if he did, it was quickly squelched and replaced with a calm respectfulness.

"All we have available at the moment is the large suite, Avatar Aang," Peng continued with another small bow. "A trade delegation has arrived from the Southern Earth Kingdom provinces and all the smaller apartments have been taken. We can use the large suite if you believe that will be appropriate." Again Jet believed he could hear just the slightest edge of doubt in the man's voice.

"Hey, I can just sleep on a couch or go back into the city and meet you guys later," Jet began. He was growing a bit uncomfortable with the finery around him anyway.

"No," Aang replied firmly, then he turned to Peng and stated, "Considering the nature of Master Jet's audience with the king, I believe the largest suite would be entirely appropriate lodgings for him. He has also come with us without much chance to prepare, so he will be needing a manservant assigned to him."

Peng nodded solemnly, then gave the group yet another deep bow. "If you will follow me, Master Jet," he said, "I will see you to your quarters."

As Peng began to walk away, his back ramrod straight, his hands tucked ever so properly in his sleeves, Sokka pulled Jet to one side, saying, "Don't let old fussybritches get to you. He thinks I am the biggest slob that ever walked the planet. And you should see the looks he gives Hu when he comes to visit."

"Hu kind of asks for it though," Katara interjected. "He always camps out in the courtyard to be closer to nature."

"It is a little unnerving to look off the balcony and see Hu doing laundry in the fountain, I have to admit," Aang added with a grin and a shiver.

Up ahead, Peng paused several steps ahead to wait on Jet, only the tiniest flicker of impatience in his expression. "Sir?" he inquired politely.

But Jet ignored him and asked, "Just where am I going?"

"Just go along with Peng for now. He'll get you settled in. As soon as we've all had a chance to change clothes and clean up, we'll gather back at my place," Aang assured him.

Jet nodded obediently, still a bit overwhelmed, and followed Peng along the courtyard to a pair of large doors set at an angle in the corner of the huge building before realizing he had no idea where Aang and Katara's apartment even was. He looked around, but the rest of the group had vanished through various doorways of their own.

Peng threw open the suite's ornately carved double doors with a flourish and a bow. Jet walked inside and could barely restrain a gasp of amazement. From the highly polished floors of some kind of beautiful stone to the wall hangings to the beautiful furniture, the suite was as much a palace as anything he could imagine.

Peng walked him through the elegantly appointed foyer and into a large area with seating for at least thirty people on the various couches and chairs. There was a huge unlit fireplace in the corner of the room.

"Please excuse the unreadiness of the suite. I will send up the servants immediately to make up the fire for you, sir," Peng stated.

Then Peng led him to a gigantic dining room, complete with banquet table to seat at least twenty, then up an elaborate staircase to the second floor where he was shown a smaller sitting area, smaller dining area, office for his use, and two guest bedrooms.

Up the next flight of stairs Peng revealed two more guest bedrooms and a master suite four times the size of the entire leather shop, including the storage building out back. The suite had a bed that dwarfed any bed he'd ever seen and a separate bathing room that contained a tub large enough for five people.

To his amazement, Peng pulled a silk bell cord beside the tub and within minutes, water began to fill it from a large brass spout. Jet could see from the steam coming off it that the water was very hot.

"I believe Avatar Aang said everyone was planning to clean up and dress. Until your manservant arrives, I will see that the bath is filled. Do you have luggage, sir?" Peng asked courteously.

Jet looked down at the shabby brown knapsack that contained his clothing—all dirty. "Just this," he admitted. "I need to do a little laundry as well."

Peng held out one immaculately clean hand. Jet passed him the knapsack, which he took with only the slightest air of distaste. "I will send up your valet with a suitable change of clothing for you sir, until your own things can be laundered," Peng said politely.

The tub now nearly filled, Peng pulled once again on the silken cord and within seconds the flow of water had ceased. Peng then laid out a selection of towels, soaps, shaving accessories, and other oddments that he pulled from a variety of beautiful cabinets.

"Enjoy your bath, sir," Peng said with yet another bow, took up the knapsack, and backed out the ornate double doors of the bathroom.

Jet stuck one finger in the water to check the temperature—hot but not so hot he couldn't take it. So he gave a shrug and stripped down. As he eased his still healing cuts and bruises into the hot water, he had to admit that floating in that huge tub was much preferable to the icy water of the waterfall.

But at the waterfall, he'd often had Mai's company. He couldn't help but think that the huge bathtub would be much more enjoyable if she were in it as well.

Some time later there came a knock at the door and a voice called out, "Master Jet, I am Enlai, your valet. I have brought a change of clothing for you when you are ready."

Jet finished up and wrapped a towel around himself, impressed with its softness, then walked back into the bedroom where a tall thin man stood before a clothing rack, brushing imaginary wrinkles out of a very expensive looking green and brown suit of clothing.

Enlai bowed politely at his approach, then gave him a measuring look. "I believe Master Peng has sized you correctly," he stated evenly, then began to lay out the clothing across the bed. Once he'd laid things out to his satisfaction, he turned to Jet and waited.

Jet realized the man was waiting to help him dress. "I've been dressing myself a long time," Jet began. "I think I'm capable to continuing to do so."

"Certainly, sir," the valet replied politely. "I'll be outside the door should you need me." And with that, Enlai left the room.

Jet fingered the fabric of the tunic. He'd never worn anything this fancy in his entire life. The material felt just like that stuff Mai wore. He didn't think he'd be able to cope with it. It would just make him feel awfully girly.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much else around to wear—only the clothes he'd left in a heap on the bathroom floor. Tentatively, he began to slip the items on, distinctly uncomfortable with the whole situation.

The fit, he had to admit, was pretty good, and as he looked in the mirror, he had to admit he looked pretty good—if he were headed out to a wedding or a funeral.

He wandered out of the big room again to be met by Enlai at the door. The valet immediately began to straighten his overtunic and adjust the fit to suit him. Jet just kept walking. He didn't like being fussed over but didn't know how to tell the man to stop.

"Master Jet, you have visitors downstairs I believe," Enlai offered as they headed down the steps to the lower floors of the gigantic townhouse.

"Who?" Jet asked. But as he stepped onto the stone floor of the downstairs, he saw them. Zuko and Toph.

To his relief, Zuko was dressed no less fancily than himself, only his colors were red and black. Toph was a vision of loveliness in a beautiful red and green silk dress. Her hair was put up in some kind of elaborate twist that framed her face. She had an orchidlily pinned to her hair.

"You ready to go get something to eat?" Zuko asked casually.

"Sure," Jet replied. "Just how formal is this dinner we're having?"

"It's not formal at all," Toph answered with a bemused grin. "It's just us having dinner."

Jet walked with them toward the front door, surprised when a footman suddenly appeared to open the door for them. "Where did you come from?" he asked the young man. The man looked shocked that Jet had spoken to him.

"The townhouse will be completely staffed when you return," Enlai explained from behind them. "Please excuse our lack of preparation. We were not expecting anyone to be staying here."

"Hey, don't make any big fuss on my account," Jet began, but Zuko cut him off.

"Master Jet's arrival here was a surprise to us as well," Zuko said kindly. "We will return him sometime late this evening." Then he took Jet by the elbow and guided him out the door, Toph following right behind trying not to giggle.

They walked out onto the courtyard path, and Jet turned to ask, "What was that all about?"

"If you are going to be king of Omashu, there's no time like the present to learn how to act like a king," Zuko began patiently. "Let your staff do their jobs. They take great pride in being the most accomplished house staff in the Earth Kingdom. It would insult them if you rejected their service."

"Well, I have never had to be served by anyone in my life," Jet replied defensively. "I've always served myself."

"We know," Toph answered. "Trust me, it gets on my ever last nerve as well. I'd much rather just take care of myself. But I've also grown to appreciate having someone around who can do those things I can't do or don't have time to do."

"I still don't like being fussed over," Jet replied firmly. "And where do you guys get these outfits?" he asked, giving his tunic a little accusatory tug.

Zuko looked at him with a wry grin. "Ah, the joys of formalwear," he commiserated sadly.

"Do you dress like this all the time?" Jet asked in disbelief.

"Pretty much, unless we're on vacation on Tuzai," Zuko replied.

"Or unless we're doing something really formal," Toph added. "Then it's much, much worse. You should have seen my wedding dress. It must have weighed thirty pounds. It took three people to get me in it."

Jet looked so downcast that Zuko had to give him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it," he said as they walked into Aang's apartments.

"Get used to what?" Sokka asked curiously as he picked out some hazelpecans from a beautifully enameled bowl.

"Wearing a monkeysuit," Toph replied with a mischievous grin. "Jet's complaining about his outfit."

"I think you look extremely handsome," Suki commented. "I wish I could get Sokka to dress up a little sometimes."

"Watertribesmen just don't look good in silk," Sokka answered. "We're leather kind of guys."

"I'm with you, Sokka," Jet said, really feeling overdressed when he took in Sokka's blue leathers with white fur trim.

"Well, I agree with Suki," Katara added with a smile of her own. "You look really nice. Besides, Zuko and Aang don't have a problem with silk."

"I do too," Aang retorted as he entered the room arrayed in orange silk robes. "These pants ride up."

"Clothes absolutely do not make the man," Zuko stated wearily as he found a seat, stretching his injured leg in front of him and rubbing his thigh with a grimace. "An idiot wearing silk is still an idiot. However, when you have a job to do, you have to dress for the job. Being king is a job. A good job in many ways, but still a job."

Jet remembered what Mai had told him about being Fire Nation Representative, how it was just a good paying job. He looked around for her but tried not to look like he was looking around for her. She wasn't to be seen.

"Well, I don't know where these things came from. That guy Enlai just brought them up," Jet stated. "I have no idea how to dress for a job like this."

He glanced over at Aang, who replied, "Don't look at me. I'm a monk. You're looking at my one good suit of robes."

A glance at Sokka brought yet another dismissive shrug. "Like I said. I'm a leather man."

Zuko then spoke up. "I'll see that you get hooked up with a good tailor," he answered. "But somebody really ought to go with you to be sure you get everything you need for the different events you'll be attending."

"And you need some boots with the same soles in them that I wear," Toph added.

"Well, Sifu Toph, maybe you need to go with me to help me get the right stuff," Jet said.

Toph gave him a big grin and passed her hand over her eyes. "Blind. Remember? Can't tell one suit of clothes from another," she laughed. "You'd be better off to let Zuko take you. He's seriously fashionable," she teased her husband.

"No," Zuko answered firmly. "I do not shop."

Jet felt silly. This whole king business was just too much for him. He needed to start trying to find a way to get out of it—now.

Just then, Mai entered the apartment. She looked like a princess. Her dark hair was arranged in some kind of half up, half down style that framed her heartshaped face, but left part of her hair loose and silky against her back.

She wasn't dressed any more formally than anyone else in the group, but she looked so elegant to him. The simple lines of her embroidered red silk dress showed the curves of her figure without being too revealing. Her sleeves were short for once, leaving her arms bare.

He walked over to her without hesitation. "You're not armed," he said with a bow.

"That grizzly wolverine took my blades," she said with a sigh. Then she gave him a warm, appraising look. "You look really nice this evening."

"Do you think so?" he asked. "I feel like an idiot."

Mai ran her hands across his shoulders, then down the front of his tunic, straightening the folds. It felt so much better having her do it than that Enlai character, Jet thought to himself.

"I think you look absolutely wonderful," she repeated, looking him in the eye and giving him a smile that made his stomach flip.

"Hey," Toph interjected, "Mai ought to go with you. She knows all about the events you'll have coming up and what people are wearing."

"That's a really good idea," Aang interjected. "Mai, Jet needs to go clothes shopping tomorrow. Think you can help him out? Be sure he gets the right stuff to wear for everything that'll be coming up?"

"If he wants me to," she replied, looking up at Jet.

Jet wanted to nod like a happy three year old, but instead just said, "I would really like for you to help me."

The next morning found the two of them in a palanquin traveling the most fashionable streets of Omashu. Jet had wanted to walk, but Mai assured him that between the distances to travel and the likelihood of purchases to be carried back with them, the palanquin was the way to go.

The stop at the bootmaker for new boots with soles of the same flexible earth-based material Teo and Haru had invented for Toph was easily the best stop of the day for Jet. He knew boots. He knew leather. He knew what he liked to wear. It took all of fifteen minutes to get measured and commission a pair.

Mai tried to get him to purchase a couple more, but he refused. "I can pay for one pair and that's it," he told her. "I have to keep it simple."

The next stop at the tailor was both mind-numbingly boring and disturbingly uncomfortable all at the same time. Within moments of arrival, three very flouncy fellows had pulled his now clean but clearly worn brown leather overtunic off him, leaving him in just his shirt and breeches, and had begun to measure and measure and measure some more.

Mai had watched with an amused expression as he tried not to wriggle free of their grasp.

"Such a nice physique," one of them sighed. "It will be quite a pleasure to craft garments to fit such a body."

Then they began to hold fabrics up to his face and say things to each other like, "Do you think this brings out his eyes?" and "I love the way this one picks up the sun streaks in his hair."

Mai joined them and began to pull fabrics of her own out of the impressive selection that lined the room.

"Formal wear," she declared, picking up a piece of embroidered brown silk that Jet thought looked like it would be better suited to a pair of pajamas—or a ladies' dress.

"Oooooh!" one of the tailors squealed, clapping his hands. Then he reached for a length of dark green velvet. "These for the trousers! How gorgeous!"

"No!" Jet tried to say, but was overridden at once by four voices.

Before he knew it, Mai had commissioned at least ten outfits for him including daywear, formalwear, workoutwear, sleepwear, and even underwear. He was more than a little bit embarrassed.

They left the shop with two things on Jet's mind: how on earth would he ever manage to pay for these things and how fast could he get away from all this?

Then they rode past a side street he actually knew well. "Stop just a moment," he called out to the bearers. He slipped out of the palanquin, followed closely by Mai, and they walked down the narrow alley to an armorer's he'd dealt with in the past.

"Cheng!" Jet called out to a burly man working at a blacksmith's forge in the back of the shop. "Got a minute?"

"Sure, Jet. Just finished up," the smith called back, plunging the metal he'd been hammering into a vat of water, sending a plume of steam into the air. It was hot and dirty and smelled like metal in the shop. Jet was thrilled to be someplace that felt familiar.

Cheng walked forward and Mai could see the corded muscles that ran over the man's bare chest and shoulders. He wore a leather apron that bore numerous burn marks and sweat ran down his arms. His hair was covered by a length of cotton that had maybe once been white, but was now a dingy tan color.

"How's it going?" Cheng asked, reaching out to clasp Jet's offered hand at the wrist. "Haven't seen you since I re-wrapped the hilt of that crazy sword of yours."

"Yeah, I know," Jet answered. "Been a little busy lately. Plus, I actually ran into the real owner of the sword—and old friend named Sokka, would you believe it? So I need a new one. What's it going to run me?"

Cheng quoted a price that made Jet's eyes widen. "That much, huh?" he said in dismay. "I've always kinda picked my weapons up on the battlefield, if you know what I mean. I've never owned a sword that was made for me."

"I don't know about that," Cheng replied. "That black sword fit you pretty well. Sure you can't just re-lift it from the owner?" he gave Jet a conspiratorial grin.

"No can do," Jet answered. "Sokka's too good a friend for that. I guess I'll have to just save my pennies and come see you later—unless you know someone who's got something good in their weapon stock that they might be willing to part with?" he asked hopefully.

To his disappointment, Cheng shook his head. "Not likely right now. All I've seen in the dealers' stock lately is junk. The bandits keep anything decent bought up—usually under the table before it ever hits the open market."

Jet sighed. Then Mai pulled him to one side. "Why not just charge this to the palace account?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Just like the clothing. Charge the sword to the palace account. These are all things you'll be needing as king," Mai explained.

"Wait a minute," Jet began, pulling her out the door with a brief "see you later" to Cheng. "All these purchases have been charged to the palace?" he asked in disbelief.

"Of course," she replied. "Aang told me to just charge them to the palace. He said you'll pay for them as king."

Jet was disturbed by this. "I have never bought anything I didn't pay for myself. I will pay for all this myself," he began. "Anything I can't pay for, I'll leave behind when I go."

"What do you mean, when you go?" Mai asked. "You're going to be king of Omashu."

"Not likely," he answered firmly. "I know I'm not a king. I'm just working this until the rest of them figure it out."

"Then why are you doing it at all?" Mai's voice was incredulous.

Jet stopped walking, took both her hands in his, and looked her right in the eyes. Now was as good a time as any to come clean with her. To let her know just what he was working toward. "I'm doing it for you," he admitted. She just looked up at him blankly, so he kept explaining.

"If I can manage to make a good enough impression, maybe I can get some kind of respectable position when all this is over with. I can work with law enforcement or something. I can do palace security maybe. Then given a little time, I can make a life for you—for us. If you're willing. If you want to," he finished, more than a little bit nervously.

"What are you saying?" she asked in confusion.

"I think I'm asking you to marry me," Jet answered.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"You're asking me to marry you?" Mai repeated.

"Someday," Jet clarified with one of those rakish grins he worked so well. "Someday when I'm in the position to make a real life for you."

"I don't know what to say," Mai began uncertainly, looking up at him.

"Don't say anything—yet," Jet replied, tucking her hand into his arm and escorting her back to the palanquin as calmly as if nothing unusual had happened. "Just think about it. When the time is right, I'll really ask you. Then you can say something."

Mai walked back with him in a state of shock. She knew Jet liked her—a lot. She knew she liked him—a lot. He'd told her he loved her—twice. But Jet wanted to marry her? She was floored.

But at the same time, she was elated. After all, Jet was the guy. She knew that deep down. She knew that it wasn't 'like' she felt for him.

It was love. It was a scary, all consuming kind of love. A love that threatened to take all her independence and self-sufficiency and toss them out the window to be replaced by things like steadfast devotion and complete loyalty.

She was terrified.

But at the same time, she was elated.

Back at the palanquin, Jet handed her inside, then asked the bearers to take Mai back to her apartments. "Why?" she asked. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go take care of some business. I need to talk to Smellerbee and Longshot myself," he said. "I'll be back later this afternoon."

"How will you get back into the residential section?" she asked. "They'll be looking for the official palanquin."

Jet gave her a grin and pulled the Fire Nation seal Tiandu had given him out of his inside vest pocket. "I think they'll let me in," he said with a laugh.

"That ought to do it," Mai agreed. "I forgot you still had that thing."

"I never lose track of an asset," Jet replied with a playful wink. Mai had never been winked at before. It made her want to giggle, and she was absolutely not a giggler.

So she settled for asking, "Will you come to dinner at my place?"

"I'd love to," he replied seriously. Then he turned all gentlemanly all of a sudden and pressed a very properly polite kiss onto her fingers. If he held them a second longer than absolutely necessary, it wasn't long enough to generate any attention from the passers-by.

Then Jet gave her another bow as the servants picked up the palanquin and headed back toward the city's center. Peering through the curtains behind her, she watched him stride out of sight until he was lost in the crowds.

As Jet crossed the invisible lines that separated uptown Omashu from middle-class Omashu, then crossed over into working-class Omashu, he began to notice things he'd never seen before.

For one thing, the quality of street maintenance went from immaculate to haphazard. He noticed that the city's sanitation service didn't seem to pick up the garbage as often the further down the mountain he went either.

Then he passed a fountain near the leather shop. In contrast to the beautiful fountains in the upper rings of the city, this one was only half working and needed cleaning badly.

As he looked at the short line of people with large clay jugs waiting to fill them from the working spout, he also realized that this fountain was not merely decorative. It was an essential water supply for the people who lived in the area.

He'd known these things all along, but seeing the contrast between the areas of the city just drove it home to him. He began to wonder why the rest of the city wasn't being cared for as well. Who oversaw maintenance and water supply?

Making a mental note to ask about that—just to be sure King Bumi knew he needed to check into it, not that he meant to do anything about it himself—Jet walked into the leather shop.

Smellerbee and Longshot had been very impressed when Jet filled them in on all the happenings of the past several days. Smellerbee had in fact been speechless, so much so that Longshot had to do all the talking.

"I know," Jet laughed as he explained, "isn't it insane? They actually think I'm king material."

To his surprise, neither of his friends were laughing. Instead, they merely exchanged serious nods. At last, Longshot spoke up. "Don't make light of this, Jet," he warned. "You were born a leader. Why not of Omashu?"

"I've led gangs of criminals," Jet began. Then at Longshot's accusatory look, he added, "and one group of confused Freedom Fighters. I am not a king."

At last Smellerbee found her voice again. "It's you, Jet," she declared. "You're the one. I feel it."

"You guys are just as nuts as the rest of them," Jet responded dismissively. "Anyway, I've got to head back. I've got dinner plans."

"With King Bumi?" Smellerbee asked.

"Not hardly," Jet answered. "That won't be for a while yet. Toph thinks he'll want to test my bending abilities and she says I'm not ready." Then he leaned back in his chair and stretched, then gave them a big happy grin. "I've got dinner plans with Lady Mai of the Fire Nation."

Thus began a whole new round of questions and explanations as Jet filled them in—but only very briefly. It wasn't that he didn't want the guys to know, it was just that he wanted to keep things private—for Mai's sake. For some odd reason, he didn't want anyone talking about her, not even his friends.

But the afternoon was getting away from him and he headed back up toward the palace. Again, he noticed how everything got so much cleaner and brighter and better maintained as he headed uphill.

Once at the residential section main gate, he looked for the men who'd signed them out that morning. Unfortunately, they were no longer on duty. So to make things go quicker, he just pulled out the seal and presented it to the guard.

The guard took it in hand, then called over another couple of guards. "This one is really good," the big man said. "Almost good enough to get you in." Then without warning, the three men seized Jet and shoved him against the wall, taking his dagger from his belt and binding his hands behind him.

"What are you talking about?" Jet tried to ask, but the first guard just cuffed him across the face.

"How stupid do you guys think we are?" the guard asked savagely. "How many fake Fire Nation seals do you think we'll have to collect before you realize we've caught on?"

Then they dragged him through a set of iron clad doors and into what had to be the commander's office. "Got another one," the guard said as they approached a man sitting at a large desk. The guard handed over the Fire Nation seal.

Jet was relieved. This man would know the real thing when he saw it. Sure enough, the official scanned the front and back with an expert eye, then gave Jet a long measuring look.

"You must be Jet," the commander said, his voice silky and quiet. "We've been hoping you'd show up."

"Yes, I'm Jet," he replied. "Now that we've cleared that up, how about untying me?"

"I've got standing orders from the major domo of the Fire Nation Representative to arrest you on sight," the commander replied coldly, "for the crime of releasing an official seal to forgery."

"Wait a minute," Jet tried to explain. "This is all a misunderstanding." But the guard gave him another cuff on the face for his efforts and he felt his lip split open painfully.

"Come on, guys," he continued reasonably. "Get Lady Mai down here. She'll tell you what really happened. Or get the avatar. Or Prince Zuko. They'll vouch for me."

"Wow, this one has friends in seriously high places," another guard commented with a savage laugh. "Do you want us to call King Bumi too?"

"No, haven't had a chance to meet with him yet," Jet replied honestly and received yet another hard blow to the face for his trouble. He staggered a little with that one and tried to clear his vision, which had begun to blur.

"Take him downstairs," the commander ordered. "I'll let Master Tiandu know his search is over and the ringleader has been caught." Then he looked up at where Jet stood, blood running from his mouth, his eyes watering. "Jet, you'll be our guest for a very, very long time."

"What about trial? Due process? Everybody gets to send a message to their legal representative at least," Jet argued.

For his answer, the guard just slugged him again. This time the lights went out.

Earlier back at the diplomatic compound, Mai alighted from the palanquin and asked a bearer to take Jet's purchases to his quarters. Then, on a whim, she decided to accompany him. They were met at the door by the butler, who politely showed her inside.

"Master Jet will not be back until later this afternoon," Mai informed him. "But I am going to see that his purchases are placed in his room where he can find them." As the butler bowed and escorted her up the flights of stairs, she felt a little embarrassed by the thinness of her excuse to see his room.

She tried to justify it to herself by saying she was only curious to see the upper floor of the huge townhouse, having never been past the two main public floors before. But if she forced herself, she knew the real reason. She wanted to see where Jet slept.

She'd missed him the night before.

She'd missed the feeling of his arm around her, keeping her warm, keeping her close. She knew she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but knowing that Jet was right there beside her, ready to spring into action, had made her feel safe in a way she'd never felt before.

He'd defended her from the bandits and the grizzly wolverine without any hesitation, perfectly willing to put his own life in jeopardy for hers. No one had ever done that for her before. That recklessness for her sake resonated in her on a level she hadn't been aware of.

They entered the huge bedroom and her eyes widened a little. This place truly was palatial. She threw open the huge wardrobe doors to reveal Jet's few clothing items carefully put away by the staff.

"Just place those things on the bed," she instructed the servant holding the various boxes and bags from the shops. "I'll see that they are put away."

The servant nodded and placed them on the bed then walked out, followed by the butler, who carefully closed the door behind him.

Once she was alone, she indulged herself. She peeked into the huge bathing room, impressed with the gigantic tub. Then she sat down on the edge of the huge bed. Comfy. Toph's earth beds had been surprisingly comfortable, but this thing had it beat by a hundred, Mai decided.

Then she stretched out for a minute on the beautiful silken coverlet, letting one hand graze the pillow on the left hand side. Did he sleep on the left hand side when he was alone? she wondered.

She sat up and pulled the pillow into her arms. Then she leaned her face into it to see if she could catch any hint of that smell of evergreen, that warm scent of him.

After several moments, she shook herself a little self-consciously. She knew she'd better get to work actually doing what she said she was going to do and stop daydreaming about him.

So she stood and began to put away the few purchased items they'd been able to bring with them. She'd never felt much like a homey kind of person, but for some reason taking care of Jet was very satisfying. There were so many things he didn't know about fitting into this world. So many things she would be very capable of helping him with. She was glad.

After straightening the coverlet and giving his pillow one last smoothing touch, she sighed and made her way back downstairs.

She walked back to her suite across the compound and realized Zuko and Sokka were sparring in the bending grounds. Suki and Toph sat in the stands with Aang and Katara and the kids, all watching the action with interest.

"So, you guys are already back?" Katara asked as Mai took a seat among them.

"I am," Mai replied. "Jet went to see Smellerbee and Longshot."

In the ring before them, the two men traded blows. Mai could see that Zuko's speed and maneuverability was seriously hampered by his weak leg. However, it appeared that Sokka was perhaps even worse off.

"Come on, honey!" Suki encouraged from her seat. "You can get him!"

"Go, Daddy!" Zutara chimed in, jumping up from her seat to wave and cheer.

Even Toma and Bumi looked up from where they crouched in the sand, but the two little boys were much more intent on their own play to bother with anyone else's.

Sokka lunged desperately, buoyed by his family's enthusiasm and just almost managed to touch Zuko's chest before the firebender deftly stepped aside. Then Zuko slipped close and with a quick beat to Sokka's sword, made enough opening to pink him just on the shoulder.

"Hey, watch it!" Sokka yelped. "I felt that!"

"Quit griping, Sokka!" Toph called. "You're not bleeding."

"How would you know?" Sokka retorted. "You're blind."

"Oh, I see blood just fine," Toph stated with a grin.

"You want to go another round?" Zuko asked with a grimace, wiping his face with his hand.

"You sure you're up for it?" Sokka queried in reply, giving Zuko a hard look.

"Sure, I'm sure," Zuko responded firmly, giving his curved blades a swing and stretching his weak leg a bit.

Mai moved to sit next to Toph as the two men began again, their swords meeting each other in a series of ringing clashes.

"Are you sure Zuko's not overdoing it?" Mai asked Toph quietly.

"He is overdoing it," Toph answered. "He's working way too hard and is so going to pay the price for it tonight."

"Then why don't you stop him?" Mai couldn't help but ask. Zuko had been so sick. She'd hate for him to get like that again.

"He won't listen to me and he won't listen to Katara," Toph answered grimly. "But I'm keeping a close eye on him in my own way. Right now, he's just making himself really tired and really sore. If I think he's actually hurting himself, trust me—I'll let him know."

Then Toph sighed and turned to face Mai with a resigned look on her face. "But I know one thing for sure about Zuko. He's going to do what he's going to do," she sighed. "I can tell him what I think, but in the end it's his decision. All I can do is let him make the call and be ready to help him pick up the pieces if necessary."

Mai nodded, then the two women looked back into the ring, watching the men circle and trade blows, stirring up dust as their boots shuffled forward and back.

She'd dreamed about this in the swamp, Mai realized. Only in her dream it was Jet and Zuko sparring. In her mind's eye she could see them circle and lunge. But that was all she could remember.

For some reason, the memory gave her a sense of foreboding and she wondered where Jet was. She wished very much he was back.

Meanwhile in the holding cells deep below the surface of the city, Jet awoke to find himself stretched out on a hard wooden floor, his hands still bound painfully behind him. He groaned and tried to sit up, but his head swam and he grew sick at his stomach.

"Hey!" he heard a voice call. "Hey, guard! He's awake! He's awake!"

Jet looked up to see his old buddy Li chained to the wall across from him. Beside Li sat the small, one-eyed bandit leader, a man he'd vowed to kill if he ever set foot in Omashu again.

"Hey, guard!" Li yelled again. "He's awake!" Then he addressed Jet. "Now you're gonna get yours," he stated savagely and tried to spit across the room at him. Jet realized the two men looked very much the worse for wear, their shirts hanging in tatters, their faces bruised and swollen.

"We made sure that if these guys ever caught you, they'd throw you under the jail," Li snarled. "We told them everything--Boss," he finished sarcastically.

Jet shook the cobwebs from his brain and realized what they were saying. The leader had recognized Mai and knew Jet must have been her escort. When they'd been caught with the counterfeit seals, they'd just passed the buck on to him.

He sighed. He could only hope that Tiandu had heard that Jet had returned with the group as a guest. Surely, he'd at least find out from Mai what really happened before tossing him in the dungeon for the rest of his life.

As Li and the leader sat there glaring at him, Jet couldn't help but think to himself that this whole affair made a mockery of the Omashu justice system. No message out, no formal charges. He was being held purely on the orders of a higher ranking individual. It really galled him that he could be treated so badly with so little justification.

He wasn't aware that things would soon get much, much worse.

Zuko was also much the worse for wear, but for a completely different reason. He was sore, tired, and miserable from sparring with Sokka. Even though he'd managed to keep that black blade away from him, he still hurt all over from the effort.

He tried to assess himself to see if the hurt he felt was generic soreness or a sign that the symptoms of the bout with the venom were returning. With relief he decided that the pain felt like just plain hurt to him. He certainly didn't want to face Toph with another bout of that venom-driven agony on him.

She'd never say it—she'd never even make him feel like she wanted to say it—but he would say it to himself over and over—she told him so.

It was always that way when she was right and he was wrong, an event which happened more than he wanted to admit. He didn't know how in the world she managed to be so strong, so self-controlled. She never made him feel like he was being stupid or immature, even when he was. She always backed him, even when she knew he was making the wrong call.

That's not to say she didn't speak her mind. He recalled several times in the past where she'd told him exactly how she felt about an issue, but had always followed up with, "But it's your call, Sparky." Then she let it truly be his decision.

Sometimes it was wonderful. Sometimes making that final decision felt like he was accomplishing something, like he was really taking care of business.

But sometimes it was awful. Sometimes he was so torn over which way to go that in the end, he just went with his gut. When he was right, it felt fabulous. When it was wrong, it was a learning experience, to say the least.

He'd seen other married couples in their circle who fought, who tried to manipulate each other into making the decision they wanted, who sulked when they didn't get their way. But Toph seemed to run off some kind of assurance that whatever his final decision was, it would all work out okay.

And he noticed that it always did. Even when he screwed up, somehow her faith in him always helped him turn things around to be all right again.

He envied her peace and level-headedness, her constant assurance and positive outlook, her complete honesty with him and her complete acceptance of him. And he loved her so much it sometimes frightened him.

Just then she came in through the door, her eyes full of concern. It always amazed him how expressive her eyes could be, even though she didn't use them for her vision. She saw him differently than anyone else in the world—and he realized it wasn't just due to her earthbending. She saw a part of him nobody else could see. Mostly because he wouldn't show it to anyone else.

"How are you doing?" she asked with a little sympathetic laugh. She knew how he felt, he thought to himself. It would do him no good to try to lie about it.

"I'm miserable," he admitted. "I hurt all over."

She went to him then, a concerned little frown creasing her forehead. "How bad is it?" she asked.

"I'm just tired and sore from working too hard," he assured her, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders. "It's not like it was before. I promise."

"Good," she declared. "I told the rest of them that we were going to have dinner on our own tonight," she added. "I thought you might like some peace and quiet to recover."

"Thank you," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Right now I just want to soak some of this out of my system."

"I can take care of that," Toph offered. "I'll get you a nice hot tub of water drawn up."

She headed into the bathing room and pulled the cord to signal the servants in the downstairs basement to start the water pump. Within minutes the oversized tub was filled and Zuko had slipped in for a long hot soak.

Just to be pernicious, Toph decided to join him. If he was going to work too hard and make himself too exhausted for fun, the least she could do was rub it in a little. Maybe next time he'd go a little easier on himself and save part of his energy for her.

Zuko watched her slip out of her dress and slide into the water with a little groan. She looked so beautiful, so soft, so touchable. And he was so tired.

She stretched out in the huge tub beside him. "Ooooh," she sighed. "This feels so good, doesn't it? The water is all warm and soft."

"You don't like the water," Zuko teased, flicking a little at her with his fingertips.

"I don't like deep water," she replied smartly. "I do like bathwater."

"But bathwater washes all the dirt off," he continued to tease. "You can't see me anymore."

"I don't need dirt to see you, Sparky," she answered warmly, sliding right up next to him. The feel of her skin against his brought a new rush of energy into his system and he pulled her across him, splashing a little water out of the tub in the process.

He sat up and pulled her close. Her bare skin felt as warm and soft as it looked. Then he kissed her throat and her shoulder. He could feel her hands rubbing the soreness and tension out of his back.

He looked at her again. The steam from the bath had brought a little pink flush to her cheeks and made her skin all dewy. Her lips were so red. He had to kiss her, so he did.

Then he began to trace patterns down her throat and across her skin with a wet fingertip, and she sighed with pleasure.

Zuko decided he wasn't that tired after all.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Somewhere deep under the surface of Omashu, Jet found himself under arrest, surrounded by bandits who'd love the chance to get a little revenge, and late for dinner with Mai.

Being late for dinner bothered him more than any of the rest of it. He'd been arrested plenty of times. He'd been surrounded by bandits wanting revenge even more often.

But it wasn't an everyday event for him to have a private dinner date with the woman he planned to marry—someday.

"Come on, guys," he called yet again from his spot on the floor where he'd been restrained. "Let me at least let somebody know I'm not going to be on time for dinner!" He knew from experience that under usual arrest circumstances, being annoying in a friendly way could sometimes get you what you wanted--if it didn't get you beat up first.

The guards just ignored him. He could see them through the thick wooden grate set in the upper half of the ironclad wooden door, but they never even turned to look at him.

Then the lock suddenly grated as the key was turned and the door swung open. Finally, Jet sighed to himself. Maybe he'd at least get his message out.

However, he knew something was amiss when Li and the leader across the room began to laugh—a vicious, humorless laugh. He looked at the guards entering and knew what was so funny to them.

"Oh, no," he groaned. "Not again."

Back in her apartments, Mai put the finishing touches on dinner for two. She was glad Toph and Zuko had decided to be on their own this evening; it had made it easier for her to beg off from Katara's invitation as well.

"Jet and I are going to have a quiet dinner together this evening," she'd told her. Katara just smiled in understanding.

"You two have really got something going on, don't you?" Katara asked in a leading voice.

Mai wasn't exactly sure how to answer. Jet had asked her to marry him—sort of. That ought to qualify as something going on, but Mai still wasn't sure where she stood. That wasn't true--she felt like she stood on the edge of a cliff.

If she jumped, she'd have to trust that something was really there to catch her. Otherwise it was really going to hurt when she hit the bottom. So, did she jump or did she wait until she knew for certain what was waiting for her?

In the end she changed the subject on Katara by planning a shopping trip with her to buy the fabrics and spices she'd promised to send Dei Zi in the swamp village.

Now, back in her apartments, Mai sat there at the low table and waited. She was a little surprised Jet hadn't already returned. He'd seemed pretty happy about the dinner invitation. Maybe he was still catching up with his friends. She hoped he was having a good time.

In the dark cell beneath the city, Jet knew he was in for a very bad time. The two burly guards who entered each carried leather lashes. The bad kind, Jet thought, with seven braided whips on each. He just hoped the whip ends were just knotted and not studded with stone or metal.

Knots bruised as well as cut, but the kind with stones in the end tended to just rip the flesh off in chunks. You were left with either some seriously bad scars, or you just died from blood loss.

But even the knotted kind could kill if they beat you long enough. Maybe the fifty lash maximum was being enforced. He felt pretty good about surviving fifty. He might even be able to stay conscious the whole time.

He decided to set that as his goal. If you wanted to make it through serious corporal punishment mentally intact, it was very important to set goals.

One of the huge guards walked over and unceremoniously hauled Jet up off the floor by the front of his vest then dragged him to a huge wooden column in the center of the room. Jet noted that the whip ends were knotted. Out of a seriously bad situation, that was the one bright spot.

Then the other guard untied his hands, only to strip off his leather vest and retie his hands around the pole to a metal ring set just over head height from the floor.

Without a word to him or to each other, they shook out their lashes and gave a preparatory warm up stretch.

"Hey, guys," Jet began, "before we get started I'd just like to remind you that this is all seriously illegal and against the judicial code of Omashu."

They ignored him and just began. The lashes whistled through the air as Jet hugged the pole and began to count. Counting was what kept a person sane.

One, two, three, four.

The first several hurt really really badly as they ripped his shirt apart. Great, he told himself. This was the one shirt he had left that he liked. The grizzly had gotten his other one.

Five, six, seven, eight.

Once through the shirt, the whip ends began to work on the skin of his back, curving around his sides as well. Those hurt especially badly.

Nine, ten, eleven.

He was really getting cut up now. He forced himself to keep breathing through the slash and sting. It wasn't the first time he'd done this. Usually just ten or fifteen lashes from a ticked off judge or an angry bandit leader.

Twelve, thirteen.

The worst one so far had come during his days as a Freedom Fighter. He'd been caught stealing food for the group. If the authorities had realized the full nature of his criminal career, he'd have gotten a prison term. As it was they'd just sentenced him to thirty lashes and let him go.

Fourteen.

Well, left him for dead was more like it. He had crawled away a short distance before passing out. Then the gang had picked him up and hauled him back to the hideout. It had taken him weeks to get over it.

Fifteen.

Either he was not as tough as he used to be, or these guys were more committed to their work, he thought to himself. This was much worse than he remembered. He began to grunt reflexively with each blow. He was having trouble standing. The pain was white hot and getting exponentially worse.

Sixteen.

His world narrowed to whistle and cut. First the sound, then the pain.

Seventeen.

He almost cried out, but somehow managed to bite it back. His knees had gone completely weak though and he hung painfully from his bound wrists, his shoulder muscles burning in agony.

Eighteen.

Somehow he managed to reach up to grip the metal ring in his fingers. Toph could bend metal. Maybe he could too. He tried to hear the earth in the cold ring. He tried to feel the earth instead of the whip. It whispered to him softly.

Nineteen.

He held the ring until the weight of his sinking body pulled his fingers free. Without the whispers from the metal, he felt cut off. Alone. The loneliness was as bad as the pain.

Twenty.

Everything hurt. His wrists ached sharply where the leather bindings pulled as his full weight hung from them. Each blow sent shock waves of sharp sensation through his body.

Twenty-one.

He tried to stand again, but he was too weak. He wondered if he was losing much blood.

Twenty-two.

He wondered what Mai had planned for dinner. He couldn't breathe.

Twenty-three.

He tried to see her face, to hold onto her. His body jerked with each blow.

Twenty-four.

He cried out.

Twenty-five.

He almost forgot to count.

Twenty-six.

Stars shot through his vision and black spots appeared before his eyes.

Twenty-seven.

He fell into blackness. Before the darkness took him completely, he was aware of being mildly disappointed in himself. Last time he'd made it to thirty.

Meanwhile, Mai waited for him at her apartment. When the evening grew long and dinner grew cold, she sent her footman to inquire at his townhouse if he had returned yet from the city. At the footman's negative reply, she immediately walked to Aang's apartments.

"Jet's not back from town," she announced as soon as she was shown into the room. "Do you know where he might have gone?"

"No," Aang replied, as did Katara, Sokka, and Suki. "We've just been having dinner and visiting. I thought you and Jet had plans."

"We did," Mai replied. "But he's not back yet and I'm getting worried."

"Jet can take care of himself," Sokka assured her. "I'm sure he just got hung up somewhere."

But Mai wasn't convinced, so Aang sent a footman to make some inquiries. Within half an hour, he had returned with some very disturbing news. In determining whether or not Jet had returned to the residential section, he'd discovered that Jet had been arrested at the gate.

"You wait here," Aang instructed Mai as she rose angrily. "Sokka and I will go get him."

"I am not staying here," she retorted hotly. "I want to know what is going on."

So, in the end Mai led the charge to the residential guard commander's office, demanding to see Jet. As the commander prepared to make a statement about proper procedure for seeing a prisoner, he looked up to see Avatar Aang standing beside her. Then he realized just whom he was addressing. "Lady Mai?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes, I am Lady Mai," she replied icily. "I demand to know what is going on here. Why has Jet been arrested?"

"We were operating on strict standing orders from Tiandu, your major domo, that were issued a week ago," the commander began trying to explain. "He'd told us in no uncertain terms that Jet was working in league with a band of outlaws who were trying to break into the residential area using a Fire Nation seal. We've already caught two others with forgeries."

"That is preposterous," Mai snapped in answer. "Jet is not working with outlaws. I demand his release immediately."

"Well," the commander began tentatively, "there are procedures that must be followed."

"Is Jet okay?" Aang asked, preparing to use Toph's earthbending technique to judge the truth of the commander's reply.

"Yes, of course," the commander replied, but the lie was so apparent, even Sokka and Mai knew he wasn't telling the truth.

"As the Avatar, I demand to see him—now," Aang stated, allowing himself to slip into the first layer of the avatar state. He heard the commander's gasp at the sight of his eyes and tattoos beginning to glow, but ignored it in favor of reaching out through the stone floor with his enhanced abilities to find Jet.

"Sir," the commander began nervously, rising to meet them, "proper procedures must be followed. Maybe in a few days I can have the paperwork completed."

At Aang's glare, compounded by the unearthly glow of his eyes, the man grew truly frightened and sat back down in his chair. He just hoped the guards hadn't gotten around to administering the fifty lashes he'd decided to impose as a sort of favor to Tiandu.

Aang just gave him another cold glance and lifted his hands in an earthbending stance. Mai and Sokka watched in amazement as Aang parted the floor beneath their feet, causing it to descend with them like a staircase, carrying them down beneath the earth to the city dungeon.

The stones opened and allowed them to pass unhindered through what appeared to be a soldiers' mess hall. A group of guardsmen looked up from their meals in surprise, food falling from their mouths as they watched the group descend through the ceiling and down into the floor again on a moving stairway of stone.

Then they arrived in a long hallway. "The rooms ahead are all made of wood," Aang began. "They have to be the cells. He should be in one of them."

Aang walked quickly down the hall to the first large wooden door. It was bound in iron, which made it impregnable to most all earthbenders--all but those who'd learned to bend metal. Aang had been taught by the best, and he sent a silent thanks to Toph as he used the iron banding to rip the door apart.

They entered the large darkened cell, Mai looking about desperately for any sign of Jet. Then she saw him lying unconscious, face down on the floor, his back a bleeding mess. She ran to his side, her breath catching anxiously in her chest. The grizzly wolverine had shown more mercy, she thought to herself as she knelt beside him.

Aang also reached his side, using his talents and the techniques learned from Katara—he sent silent thanks to her as well—to heal as much as he could of the torn flesh and stop the worst of the bleeding.

A group of guards had wandered in, dumbstruck by the avatar's power. Sokka snapped an order at them. "Don't just stand there. Go get a stretcher—now!"

"Jet?" Mai called to him softly.

"Jet, huh?" a voice asked in a rasp across the room. "Thought his name was Jing, Lady Mai. I'd have made sure to tell them Jet if I'd known. But that old Tiandu fellow figured it out quick enough from what I told him. I guess what goes around comes around, doesn't it?"

Mai looked up to see the bandit leader leering at her from across the room. Reflexively, she raised her hand to fire daggers into his chest, only to recall regretfully that her empty holsters were back in her room. She made a mental note to visit Jet's armorer friend and reload.

So instead of killing him on sight, she walked across the room and slapped the man as hard as she could--twice. Then she addressed yet another guard who'd shown up to see what the commotion was. "I never want to see this man's face again," she declared. "Keep him down here for the rest of his life."

"No," she heard a weak voice say from behind her. She turned to see Jet rising on one elbow, his hand reaching out to her. "No. He gets a trial. Everyone gets a fair trial. And a message out," he said before collapsing to the floor again in exhaustion and pain.

She ran back to his side, pushing his hair back, dismayed by the bruises on his face and his swollen lip. "Tiandu is going to wish he'd never been born," she vowed.

"No," Jet whispered again, taking her hand and looking her straight in the eyes. "He was just trying to protect you."

The stretcher arrived and carefully they loaded Jet on it, a pair of guards carrying him back to the diplomatic compound. Mai directed them to her apartments.

"Where are we going?" Jet asked weakly.

"Where I can keep an eye on you," Mai answered as Aang followed while Sokka went to fetch Katara.

Soon Katara's healing waters finished what Aang had started and the awful torn places on Jet's back were healed to dark red stripes instead of open wounds.

"He's still going to hurt pretty badly," Katara said. "I've done all I can, but some of this has just got to heal on its own. I'll send for the herbalist. She can prepare something to help with the pain and to help him sleep if he needs it."

"Don't worry about me," Jet commented tiredly from where he lay across Mai's bed. "I'm fine. I've walked myself home after worse than this."

Mai turned to her butler. "Please send an urgent request to the herbalist," she ordered firmly. He bowed and left the room. Then she turned to Katara and Aang. "It's late. You guys go on to bed. I'll take care of it from here."

Katara looked back at her then at Aang. "I'm going to stay here with Mai," she declared firmly. "Give Bumi a kiss for me."

"You don't have to do that, Katara," Mai responded. "I've got things under control."

"I'm sure you do," Katara answered. "But we aren't in the swamp anymore. There will be talk if I don't stay."

Mai tried again to send her home, but Jet spoke up from the bed. "No, Mai, let her stay. I shouldn't be here anyway. I ought to be back at my place."

"You are not leaving my sight," Mai declared firmly. But in the end she relented and let Katara stay.

At last the herbalist came bringing a basket full of powders and herbal poultices. After consulting with Katara and having a look at Jet's injuries, she began mixing.

"This will help with the pain and the swelling," she said as she poured the powder into a cup of water. "It tastes terrible though—very bitter. Sorry," she apologized.

Jet managed to choke it down, then lay back down, resting on his least bruised side. Within a few moments, his steady breathing let them know he was asleep.

The herbalist gave the two women a smile and added, "I also put a pinch of sleeping powder in it to make sure he rests well."

"Thank you," Mai offered sincerely. Katara left to escort the herbalist downstairs again, leaving Mai alone with Jet.

Mai went to the fire and tossed on a few more chunks of coal. Then she dimmed the lamps until there was nothing left but shadow and flicker, just enough to still be able to see him where he rested beneath her silk coverlet.

She sat next to him on the bed, carefully brushing back the hair from his face, noting the dried blood still on his lip where Katara had healed the cut. She took a damp cloth from the bowl beside the bed and gently cleaned it away. It seemed she'd spent a lot of time in the last several days tending to Jet's cuts and gashes.

He was simply going to have to be more careful, she thought to herself reasonably, but there was a little hysterical edge of fear behind the thought. She forced her thoughts back to reason again.

He looked so peaceful there sleeping, so young and innocent, like the teenager the others had known so many years ago.

He took a deep breath. It must have hurt because she saw a wince of discomfort cross his brow. Then it eased thanks to the herbalist's potion, and he settled into a more comfortable position. The coverlet slipped away from his shoulder as he moved, revealing the still-healing wounds and bruises.

Mai realized that those red stripes would leave new scars, new white lines to mark his body with his past. She remembered the line across his stomach where someone had almost killed him once. Carefully, she looked lifted his hair and looked at the back of his neck and shoulder where she could still see the healing marks of the grizzly's talons. His hand rested next to him, angry purple welts and bruises encircling his wrist.

Gently, she pulled the coverlet up around him again, tucking it carefully into place to keep him warm. In the darkness, the bruises on his face were less visible. He just looked as if he were sleeping peacefully.

But even though she couldn't see, she knew. They'd hurt him.

He'd been hurt so often, so badly that he just shrugged it off.

But it bothered her very much. She meant to take care of him. He didn't seem to take very good care of himself. Other people didn't seem to take very good care of him either.

Seeing the way he'd been treated, seeing how badly they'd hurt him—even with Katara's healing—filled her with anger and a serious desire for retribution.

But he wanted fair trials. For everybody.

For his sake, she'd let it go. This time. She gave his hair another light touch and got up to put more fuel on the fire. She didn't want him to get cold.

She knew he wouldn't be able to stay with her another night. So she sat down in her armchair and watched him sleep.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Three days later, Zuko was glad to see Jet up and about again, seemingly well on the mend from his ordeal. He knew Toph was eager to get him training again, but Zuko wanted to spar with him. Sokka just wasn't much of a challenge, even though he was improving steadily.

Suki would have been more fun to fight, but she refused due to her "delicate condition" as she called it, even when he found her a set of fans. Her eyes had lit up all right, but she'd still resisted. Zuko wondered whether Toph would slow down any as her pregnancy progressed.

At the moment, Toph appeared to be as energetic as ever. She'd been sick a couple of mornings, but swore that continuous doses of ginger candy—especially that first one before she even moved in the bed on awakening—kept her stomach steady as a rock.

Zuko wasn't sure how much of that he believed after watching her leave the breakfast table in a hurry, just upon smelling the food.

All this was mysterious to him, mysterious and nerve wracking. Sokka had filled his ears with tales of pregnancy mood swings, tears without reason, strange nightmares, bizarre food cravings, and the perpetual need for backrubs.

"And footrubs," he'd added, probably because he was in the process of rubbing Suki's feet at that moment.

"Sokka, I'm glad you're here to give Sparky pointers," Toph had said with a huge grin.

Secretly Zuko was glad to have Sokka's pointers as well. But he was even more glad to have a new sparring partner. The exercise gave him something to think about that he actually understood and knew how to do. Toph had let him know in no uncertain terms that his backrub skills were seriously below par.

He watched as Jet approached the grounds, looking a little uncomfortable in what appeared to be new workout clothes. He was also without a sword. "How are you going to spar without a weapon?" Zuko asked him.

Just then Sokka walked up, holding out a sword in its scabbard. "Here you go," he said.

"You're sure you don't mind," Jet responded as he took Sokka's old sword in his hands. "I'll give it back before you guys leave."

"No, don't bother," Sokka replied generously. "After all," he said, giving the meteor sword a loving pat at his side, "I've got this one back and I appreciate it very much. You keep the other."

Jet nodded and slipped the new sword onto his belt, drawing it and giving it some practice swings to check the feel and weight.

With a salute to each other, Zuko and Jet had begun, Sokka watching from the spectator stands. Both of the men were worn out within minutes.

They sat on the stands beside Sokka, breathing heavily. Zuko rubbed his thigh and Jet rubbed at his shoulders.

"That was awful," Sokka declared merrily. "You guys are in pitiful shape."

"That didn't stop me from mopping the floor with you yesterday," Zuko replied.

"True," came Sokka's answer, "but that doesn't change the fact that you two are in pitiful shape."

Zuko looked up to see Toph approaching. "Is it over already?" she asked in disappointment.

"I'm afraid so," Zuko answered. "Sokka says we're in pitiful shape."

Then Mai came up bearing two tall glasses of water. "I saw the whole thing from the balcony," she said, handing one to each of the still panting men. "I can't say you missed much."

"Don't you two worry," Jet began. "We'll be putting on a better show soon. Just give us a little time to get the kinks worked out." He reached up to rub at his shoulders again, glad when Mai sat down behind him and began to knead the sore muscles. Hanging by his wrists had done him no good at all, he decided.

"You ready to go again?" Jet asked after a few moments.

"Hey, don't tire yourself out too much," Toph warned. "I've got you this afternoon for bending practice. How are the new boots working out?"

Jet looked down at his feet. "They need breaking in, but otherwise they're pretty comfortable," he answered with a shrug.

"I'm talking about the soles," Toph said, giving him a light clout on the shoulder as reprimand.

Jet flashed her a big teasing grin and she knew he'd been leading her on. "They're great," he replied more seriously. "I really can see through them. It's like my vision is there all the time." He closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated. "It's going to take some practice being able to see both ways at the same time though."

"Never had that problem. Sorry," Toph said in a lightly dismissive tone. "You can work on it during practice this afternoon."

It was a nice change of pace for Zuko to be in the spectator stands after lunch watching Toph and Jet work. After a few minutes, Mai came to join him. Soon Sokka and Suki showed up as well, followed shortly by Aang and Katara.

"Now that our full audience has joined us," Toph announced a bit sarcastically, "we can proceed to some of the finer points of bending."

Jet had been working very hard to move rocks with varying degrees of success. Sometimes it was easy; sometimes it was impossible.

"So far," Toph began, "you've been using the earthbender's jing of choice—pure brute strength, the big shove." She demonstrated by sending a two ton boulder sliding across the grounds with a mere hand gesture.

"Now, however," she began, "you need to begin work on some of the other forms of jing." She leaned into him conspiratorially and added, "Because honestly, you've started a little late to be a power bender. That's not to say you can't get better at making things move. But I think you'll have more success with some of the finer points—mostly because you've already learned to hear the earth."

Toph called Zuko, Aang, and Katara out to stand around the edge of the practice grounds.

Then she stood with Jet in the center. "Water bending is all about balance, letting things shift and flow around you. Earthbenders can use balance as well. It's a lot easier to tip a rock and let it roll than to physically move it where you want it to be." To illustrate her point, she slightly tipped the ground beneath Katara's feet causing Katara to stumble sideways several steps before she caught herself, laughing.

Aang laughed as well as Toph thanked Katara and let her return to her seat. Then she turned to Jet again. "Airbending is about subtlety. Airbenders use the element that surrounds us all the time but that we never notice. Try using their jing sometimes."

Aang was still laughing at Katara when he realized that without his being aware of the movement, Toph had sent stone arches over his feet, firmly anchoring him into place. "Good one," he declared before waving the arches away with a gesture of his own.

"A perfectly good illustration cut short by avatar powers," Toph sighed. "I was kind of hoping he wouldn't notice until he tried to go somewhere."

Then she looked over toward Zuko. "Fire bending is all about precision," she stated. "Wild flames don't do much damage. It's exactness that counts. When you let precision fuel your bending, you can send a shard of rock into a man's foot and stop him just as effectively as if you'd thrown a huge stone at him."

Toph then gestured to the ground before her husband and a small stone rose out of the earth in front of him, carved into the shape of the fire symbol. Zuko picked it up and smiled at her.

"Awww, how sweet," Jet teased.

"You didn't think I was actually going to stick shards of rock in my husband, did you?" Toph laughed.

Zuko pocketed the carved stone and took his place back in the stands with the others.

"How many types of jing are there?" Jet asked after they'd practiced for another hard half hour.

"Traditional wisdom says there are 85, but I believe the correct number is 92—or possibly more. I'm still learning myself, you know," she answered. "But if King Bumi asks you, say 85. It will make him happy that you agree with him and not with me."

"I'm perfectly satisfied with the five I know," Jet stated firmly, wiping his forehead with one hand.

"Oh, you know more than five already," Toph replied. "You just don't know that you know them. But once you know that you know them, you can use them more consciously to much greater effect." Listening in the stands, Zuko thought she sounded a lot like Iroh at that moment.

The next few days passed in much the same fashion, Zuko and Jet sparring in the morning, sometimes joined by Sokka, Toph and Jet bending in the afternoon. Lunchtime was usually a group activity, but dinnertime varied. Sometimes they all gathered together, sometimes the groups split into smaller groups, sometimes in couples.

Jet looked forward to another private dinner with Mai to make up for the one he'd missed while being detained by Omashu's finest. However before he could arrange it, The Duke and Pipsqueak arrived, launching another flurry of activity.

That evening they all went down to the leathershop where Smellerbee and Longshot had cleared out a large area for the reunion party. As they all walked downtown together, Mai was especially interested in meeting everyone. For one thing, ever since Jet had heard of the party, he'd been nervous.

They walked through the narrow streets as dusk fell. The street crews began lighting the lamps for the evening as they passed.

Everyone chattered happily, Mai noticed—everyone but Jet. For him, he was very silent indeed. So she pulled him aside. "You're so edgy," she said. "Are you sure you really want to go to this?"

"Yes," he assured her, giving her hand a pat where he held it tucked into the crook of his elbow.

"Then what's bothering you about it?" she asked. "And don't say nothing because I know something's bothering you."

"It's just been a long time since I've seen everybody is all," Jet replied evenly. Mai seemed satisfied—at least for the moment—and they continued to walk. But Jet's mind was far from easy. He had to admit that he was really nervous about seeing the guys again, especially The Duke.

The Duke had been so little when he'd found him in a burned-out village. Jet had been doing a some reconnaissance—actually he'd been looking for valuables to loot—when he'd heard a sound. He went around the end of a half-collapsed wall to see a tiny dirty figure crouched in the shadows.

The toddler looked up at him and all Jet could see was a thick shock of wild dark hair and a pair of big, hollow eyes. He had somehow gotten hold of Longshot's knapsack and was cramming handfuls of dried fruit out of it into his mouth. He wasn't talking yet and couldn't tell them where he'd come from. They'd had no idea how long he'd been on his own.

They just knew he was starving and filthy. So they cleaned him up as best as they could and fed him until he fell asleep. At the time, it had just been Jet and Longshot. Longshot had been just a kid himself, leaving eleven-year-old Jet as the leader and the one primarily responsible for The Duke's care. But by then Jet had been taking care of himself for over three years, so taking care of a few others wasn't a big stretch.

Soon Smellerbee joined them, along with a variety of other members who came and went with the seasons and the occasional arrest. And so the Freedom Fighters were born.

A couple of years later Pipsqueak had come along. Some of the kids expected him to take over since he was older and bigger than the rest of them. But he didn't.

In fact over the years, they frequently had members who were older than he was, but Jet always remained the leader, the one who made the plans and called the shots. If they didn't like it, they left.

Pipsqueak and The Duke became really close, but The Duke always looked to Jet with a sort of hero worship. It made Jet a little sick when he looked back at the kind of things he'd exposed The Duke to as such a little kid. Jet told them all they were freedom fighters, but in reality they were just a gang of thugs and juvenile delinquents.

At the reservoir even though he was the youngest, The Duke had been able to see that. He'd even had the courage to call him out on it. After Aang and his group had left, Jet and The Duke had fought bitterly, and in his anger and frustration, Jet had yelled at him for daring to question him.

That night, The Duke and Pipsqueak had left without a word. That had hurt. But rather than feel betrayed, Jet just felt guilty--like he'd let The Duke down, like everything he'd tried to teach him had been a self-serving lie.

The Duke had finally seen through him. He'd been right, and Jet had been too absorbed with his own need for vengeance to admit it. The memory was something Jet was still deeply ashamed of now.

How long ago had it been? Nine years? The Duke wasn't a little kid anymore, Jet realized. He would have to be eighteen or nineteen. The thought of that little boy being a grown man made Jet feel old. He felt old and he wasn't even thirty yet himself.

Jet and Mai trailed behind the others as Sokka opened the door of the leather shop, allowing the sound of laughter and conversation to spill into the street.

"Sokka! Suki!" a deep voice cried in greeting. "How are you guys?"

"Great," Jet heard Sokka reply as he and Mai walked up to the door. "How did the new boat run out?"

"Pretty good," the voice answered. "I think we'll need to do some work on the rudder linkage though. It seemed a little loose to me for really good maneuvering."

Jet stood in the doorway and paused to look for the owner of the voice. That would have to be The Duke. He wasn't sure he'd recognize him after so long.

Then he saw him standing there next to Sokka with a plate of food in his hand. He was tall. He stood a good three inches taller than Sokka. He had that same wild shock of dark hair and slightly turned up nose, still complete with freckles. He was lean, as if he hadn't finished growing yet, but Jet could see he'd nearly rival Pipsqueak in size once he'd finished bulking up.

Then The Duke looked up at the door and saw him. "Jet," he said simply, putting down his plate and walking over. "It's been a long time." And to Jet's surprise, the young man grabbed him in a heartfelt hug.

"It's good to see you, The Duke," Jet managed, returning the embrace warmly. After a long moment, the young man let go of him. Jet was surprised to see that he seemed a little shaken.

Then Pipsqueak walked up—still a mountain of a man—and shook Jet's hand firmly with one of his giant mitts. "You doing okay these days, Jet?" he asked genially.

"Yeah, fine," Jet answered, clapping him on the shoulder. Then he remembered Mai at his side. "Mai, this is Pipsqueak and The Duke—old friends from way, way back."

"It's very good to meet you both," Mai replied, smiling at them. Smellerbee approached with drinks for everyone and conversation began in earnest as they filled each other in on the past several years.

Pipsqueak had tried joining The Duke and Sokka in the fishing fleet, but his first trip out had been a disaster. "I was sick all the time," he groaned. "So I found a good job in Madame Wu's village. I work in a stable. I didn't know how much I liked working with ostrich horses until I got a chance."

Jet couldn't conceive of an ostrich horse big enough for Pipsqueak to ride. Then The Duke filled him in briefly on his career as a fisherman. "After the war was over, I just hung around with Sokka. Teo and Haru were doing earthbending stuff and I was no bender. But the ocean sounded like fun. So I went fishing and never looked back."

"The Duke actually runs a part of the fleet. He's the youngest captain in the tribe," Sokka bragged proudly. "My dad has practically adopted him."

"Yeah, Hakoda is sort of my second dad," The Duke agreed. "He keeps me straight."

"That's great," Jet said. "I'm glad you've got a real family at last."

The Duke looked at him with an odd look. "I had a real family before I joined the watertribe," he said. "You guys were my family. Still are."

"We were a strange kind of family," Jet said uncomfortably. "Just a bunch of wild kids. No parents, no rules."

"I had rules," The Duke retorted with a smile. "Don't you remember how hard you were on me?"

Jet looked blankly at him.

"Oh, yeah," Pipsqueak interjected in his deep slow voice and began to recite, "The Duke is not allowed to stay up late. He is not allowed to go on missions without Jet's permission. He has to do his lessons every day."

Jet had a flash of those days. He didn't know why he'd been so concerned about The Duke when the rest of them were only a few years older.

Smellerbee looked over at The Duke with a laugh. "You used to throw some terrible tantrums when Jet wouldn't let you go on raids with us."

"Yeah, but the minute Jet told me to zip it, I knew I'd better," The Duke laughed, then he turned to Jet and smiled. "I know you were just trying to protect me. To teach me right from wrong."

"How did you ever learn right from wrong from a group of juvenile delinquents like we were?" Jet asked incredulously.

To everyone's surprise, Longshot spoke up at that. "You were our leader, Jet. You had your faults, true. You didn't always do the right thing. But we all learned to be loyal, to listen to each other, to work together, and to love each other."

Jet looked around at the faces of his former Freedom Fighters. They'd all turned out okay, despite the fact that he'd led them. Despite the things they'd done as kids. Things done partially to stay alive, partially for revenge, and partially because he'd told them to.

Beside him, Mai gave his arm a squeeze as the group sat quietly for a moment. Then Smellerbee stood up and wiped her eyes and said, "Who's ready for dinner?"

The room erupted into activity as she herded everyone to a long trestle formed out of worktables with various boxes and barrels pulled into service as chairs. She and Longshot had really outdone themselves and the group ate merrily and continued to chat and catch up.

After dinner, conversation groups formed around the shop. Zuko asked Longshot for a tour and a chance to see some of his work. The girls all grouped together to chat, and Pipsqueak, Aang, and Sokka traded stories of Madame Wu's many predictions—all of which, Pipsqueak held firmly, came true.

Jet stepped outside for a breath of fresh air. It had been a hard evening in many ways. He sat down on the little wooden bench outside the door and put his head in his hands. A little jingle from the shop bell told him he wasn't alone. He looked up to see The Duke come outside.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Go ahead," Jet answered, gesturing to the empty space on the bench next to him.

"I wanted to talk to you about the last time I saw you," The Duke began.

Jet cringed a little inside, but he figured he had it coming.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry," the young man continued. "I'm sorry I left the way I did."

Jet looked up at him in disbelief. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. You should have left. I was off the deep end. You knew blowing up the reservoir wasn't the right thing to do. You tried to tell me," Jet replied.

"But you were the leader," The Duke answered sadly. "Leaving that way was so disloyal to you. I owed you my whole life."

"You didn't owe me anything," Jet disagreed. "I was the one who didn't deliver. I should have been so much more for you guys than I was."

"No, you kept us together and alive," the young man said sincerely. "I learned so much from you. I wouldn't be who I am today without you."

Jet just shook his head in disbelief as The Duke continued, "When I said Hakoda was my second dad, it was because I always thought of you as my first. You raised me."

Jet didn't know what to say. The Duke took a deep breath and continued, "When me and Pipsqeak met up with Aang and the group before the Day of Black Sun, they told us what happened at Ba Sing Se. They said you probably died." His voice broke a little on that. "I felt so awful. I felt like if I hadn't left, it might have been different. I was afraid I'd never have the chance to tell you how sorry I was."

"Hey, I'm the one who's sorry," Jet said, putting his arm around The Duke's shoulders. "I mean look how I raised you. All I knew how to teach you was to fight dirty and evade the authorities." The Duke laughed at that.

"But I'm really proud of you," Jet finished, his own voice breaking a little. "I mean, look at you. A captain. A leader."

"I still fight dirty," The Duke admitted, turning to look Jet in the eyes squarely. Jet noticed for the first time that The Duke's eyes were the same dark green as his.

"Good boy," Jet said, giving him a clap on the shoulder before standing up to go back inside. "A fight with rules isn't a fight. It's a sparring match."

"They tell me you're going to be King of Omashu," The Duke said, looking up at him from his seat on the bench.

"We'll see," Jet replied evasively.

"I think you'll be a great king," the young man said sincerely. "The city needs somebody like you who brings people together."

"I don't know about that," Jet continued as they walked back through the door of the shop.

The Duke stopped him with a hand. "You see this group?" He gestured toward the room full of people talking, laughing, eating, visiting. "You brought them together. They know each other because of you."

He looked at Jet sincerely. "You'll make a great king. I'm sure of it."

Evening gave way to night and the party finally broke up. After repeated assurances that he would be back the next day to visit again, Jet finally made his way out the door with the rest of the group headed uphill.

"Do you want to stay?" Mai asked him. "I can walk back with the others." She gestured to the rest of the group just a short distance ahead of them.

"No," he answered. "The guys need time to catch up without me. I'd be in the way, I think."

The truth was he was the one who needed time to catch up. Seeing The Duke had made him think about his own life, his own choices.

They walked past the broken fountain. He reminded himself to talk to the city's maintenance supervisor. Then he asked himself what authority he had to talk to anybody.

They continued to head up the hill and through the gates into the diplomatic residential section. The bows of deference he got were a far cry from his previous reception.

Thirty feet beneath the street he walked on lay the cell where he'd been held and beaten illegally just days earlier. His back still bore the marks.

They'd needed so little pretext to arrest, convict, and sentence him—just on the word of someone highly placed on the Omashu social ladder. The commander hadn't even bothered to be sure Tiandu still wanted him arrested before he'd ordered the guards to beat him senseless.

A cold chill ran over him as he and Mai crossed the cobblestones. How many innocent people were rotting away down there right now because they'd angered someone of high rank? Who was going to step in and do something about it?

He began to seriously think about becoming king of Omashu.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Once they reached the residential building, the group split up as each they went their separate ways to their quarters.

Suki walked with Sokka, aware that on the walk home, he'd been pretty quiet. At first she thought he was just tired, then she realized he was deep in thought. She knew her best shot at getting him to talk to her was to get him relaxed—extremely relaxed, she thought with a grin. So she began to lay the foundation.

"I bet the kids will be sound asleep when we get in," she ventured in a completely nonchalant voice.

"Probably," he replied. But instead of rising to the bait with his customary little grin, he just kept walking and thinking.

Sure enough, they were met in the foyer by the maid who informed them that the children were down for the night. Thanking her, Suki followed Sokka up the stairs. As they got themselves ready for bed, she flashed strategic bits of skin at him, but he failed to notice.

He put another couple of chunks of coal on the bedroom fire, then crawled under the silken coverlet—so different from the variety of thick furs that kept them warm at home on those cold winter nights—and rolled over to go to sleep.

She cuddled up against him and launched her next attack against his contemplations. "Are you sleepy?" she asked, curling up against him as close as she could get.

"Not really," he answered, then he actually sat up on the edge of the bed. "I might go downstairs for a while and read or something."

This was serious, Suki realized. Her husband definitely had something on his mind. She had a choice to make—either let him go downstairs and brood over it or do something to keep his interest upstairs. She voted for the latter and ran her hand down the bare skin of his back.

"You sure you want to go downstairs?" she asked, putting a little extra warmth in her voice.

"I don't have to," he replied, turning to glance at her. But she could tell he was still distracted.

So she unloaded her entire arsenal against him. She pulled her tunic over her head and knelt there on the bed in front of him, completely naked. If that didn't work, she'd gone home with the wrong man.

It worked.

Sokka pushed her back onto the mattress with a grin, his eyes flashing. "You got something else in mind?" he asked playfully.

"Maybe," she answered coyly. She looked up at him—so handsome, those beautiful blue eyes. His hair, dark as a raven's wing, fell around his face as he leaned over her. She reached up and grabbed a handful to pull him to her.

Some time later, she was still playing with his hair as he lay beside her--extremely relaxed. Then she asked, "What's on your mind, sweetheart?"

He leaned up on one elbow to look at her. "Do you want to be queen of something?" he asked in reply.

"Queen of what?" She responded. This was unexpected, she thought to herself.

"Well, everyone else in the group has some big important position. Aang's the avatar, Zuko's going to be Fire Lord. Now Jet is going to be king of Omashu. Do you wish I was going to be king of something?" he asked bluntly.

That was one of the things she loved the most about her husband. Once he decided to talk, he didn't tiptoe around the subject. He just launched right in.

She almost blurted out a sincere, "No!" Then she decided to give it some thought. Did she wish Sokka had a position like the other guys? It would mean a nicer place to live, pretty clothes, travel, big dinners, meeting foreign dignitaries.

She blurted out a sincere, "No!" Then she followed up with her reasons. "Sokka, baby, we have a life of our own. We come and go as we please. We don't have a nation of people depending on us for their livelihoods. You are a very successful man and I am very proud to be your wife. But I don't want to be queen of anything."

Sokka looked relieved. He lay down again beside her and pulled her into his arms so her head rested on his shoulder. "You got so cheated when we got married," he said with a laugh and a sigh. "I got this gorgeous incredible warrior and you got a fisherman."

"I've got everything I want," she replied firmly. "Besides, you're a fleet captain too."

"Speaking of the fleet," Sokka began, "did you see the Watertribe leathers Longshot had in his shop?" At Suki's nod he continued. "I need to try to set up some trade with him. I don't know who's been supplying him, but I know for a fact I can get my hands on skins that are twice as nice and a third cheaper."

As Sokka began to plan new trade routes into Omashu, Suki relaxed and listened to him, glad to hear the sound of his voice again.

But Sokka hadn't been the only quiet one in the group coming home.

The walk home had been very companionable, but still very quiet, especially for Jet.

All the way back from the leathershop, he'd thought about being king of Omashu. When he'd agreed to go for it before, he'd just wanted to impress Mai in hopes of gaining her interest. Now he knew that was the entirely wrong reason to do it.

Not that he didn't want to be with Mai—far from it. The longer he was with her, the more he knew he wouldn't be complete without her.

But he didn't need to become king of Omashu for her.

Talking to the guys had reminded him of why he'd always been the leader of the Freedom Fighters. He'd felt compelled to do it. Sometimes he hadn't wanted to do it, but he always knew he was the one who could.

He could make the hard calls. He could keep the guys in line and get them to work together. When winter came or the authorities got too close, he was the one everyone looked to for guidance. At first, he'd embraced the role. It was a real head-rush to know he was in charge.

But all too soon, the practicalities reared their ugly heads. He had to make unpopular decisions. He had to listen to petty grievances when he'd rather go to bed. He had to ask people to leave when their staying threatened the group as a whole.

That was when he learned that leading was not about being the boss. It was more about being committed to the group and its members, to helping everyone achieve their goals—whether those goals were to survive the winter or build a new treehouse hideout or drive a group of soldiers out of the forest or (he cringed at this) to wash a valley clean of Fire Nation presence.

As the leader, his primary job was to keep everyone working toward those common goals and to utilize the strengths of each member in the best way possible. For so many years, his whole life was dedicated to serving that group of kids as their leader. It was all he was. It was all he had.

When he'd lost that, he'd lost himself to a degree. He'd lost a sense of purpose that had driven him.

But the idea of serving as king of Omashu had renewed that drive. He couldn't walk down the street without seeing problems to address, people who needed an advocate, opportunities to make things better.

Walking with Mai at his side made it even clearer to him. She knew the city so well. She also cared very much about it—not just as an ambassador, but as a resident. Omashu was truly more her home than Jet's. If she'd been born an earthbender, she could easily be the next ruler herself, he realized.

He looked at her as they walked through the residential complex to her door. The elegance that he'd been so drawn to when he first saw her was still there, but now he could see past that to the person she really was.

On the surface, Mai seemed so controlled, so proper, so practical. But he'd seen the other side of her—the side she kept hidden from the rest of the world. Beneath that calm exterior was a passionate, fierce, vulnerable woman, and he wanted to explore her. He wanted to understand everything she was, everything she wanted to be.

The touch of her hand on his arm was like a drug. He wanted more of it. It had been days since he'd had a chance to do more than touch her hand or kiss her fingers. What had been so easy to do in the swamp and in the cave had become impossible back in the formal world of Omashu.

He found himself watching her constantly, touching the sleeve of her tunic or brushing his fingers against her hair as she walked past him—anything he could get away with. He knew the rest of the group wasn't chaperoning them. But all the same, he knew she was under observance by the social world she moved in and he wouldn't jeopardize her honor for anything.

They stopped just outside her door. Jet was acutely aware that the rest of their party had gone on, leaving them for once completely alone.

The evening was a little cool now that fall had begun to approach, so Mai invited him to come inside. Her invitation was innocent, but he knew he'd never be able to keep his hands off her in private. And he truly didn't know how far he'd try to go if given the opportunity. It wouldn't be fair to her.

"I don't think I should," Jet answered, but he ran a warm hand down her arm, realizing he couldn't keep his hands off her in public either.

Mai stepped closer to him, inviting another caress. She had missed being touched by him. Badly.

She was so glad when he pulled her to him, holding her in a warm embrace. She put her arms around him, careful not to put undue pressure on the still-healing bruises on his back.

They stood there a long moment, his cheek pressed to her forehead. She could feel his fingers playing lightly with the ends of her hair. She enjoyed just being held by him, but if he didn't kiss her soon, she thought, she'd just have to kiss him.

But as she was getting ready to go for it, he pulled back and looked deep into her eyes and said, "I love you." Then he kissed her—but not passionately. He placed a gentle hand on the side of her face and kissed her with a profound tenderness, with care, as if she were the most precious thing in the world. She thought her heart would stop.

Then he just looked at her with those eyes like dark emeralds, the lamplight flickering across his face. She wanted to say it. She wanted to tell him that she loved him too. She felt it to the core of her being. But the words just wouldn't come.

He opened her front door. The footman immediately came to hold it open for her as Jet gave her a very courtly bow and simply said, "Good night."

She stood there a long quiet moment, the footman waiting patiently. At last she had to walk inside, and before she could turn back to at least tell him good night, the footman had already closed the door behind her, shutting him off from her view.

Across the courtyard, Zuko shut the bedroom door with a yawn. He glanced over to see that Toph had already gone to sleep. She looked so small in the huge bed. He remembered when they first met. She'd barely reached his shoulder. They both grew a few inches since then, but she still barely reached his shoulder.

How in the world would she ever be able to carry a baby? The thought filled him with sudden fear and doubt. Then he stopped himself firmly in his tracks. Toph might not be very tall, but she was anything but fragile.

He wondered who the baby would look like. He hoped Toph. She was so beautiful—Uncle Iroh had said she was as lovely as melting snow on spring blossoms.

He wished he could come up with things like that to say to her.

He wished he could find some poetic way to tell her how precious she was to him. Then he smiled. If he did, she'd just laugh and hit him. Then kiss him.

He lay down as close to her as he could get without disturbing her. Sokka had particularly impressed him with the importance of sleep to an expectant mother. "She'll get as crabby as a molting howlerparrot if she doesn't get her rest," he'd said. Zuko just added that piece of advice to the already impressive collection of wisdom for fathers-to-be that Sokka and Aang had been sharing with him.

He settled in beside her, letting his fingers rest against the soft silk of her top and went to sleep. Deep in the night, he got his first taste of another pregnancy phenomenon when Toph had her first nightmare.

She dreamed she was in the palace garden with the baby. He was so beautiful, so perfect. Holding him in her arms, she could see him in every detail. But when she put him down on the soft grass to play, he suddenly vanished.

She couldn't see him. She couldn't see anything. It was like being lost in the swamp again, only worse.

Desperately, she felt around on the ground for him, but he wasn't there. Then she heard him start to cry.

Terrified, she began to search blindly, crawling across the grass feeling for him. He was right there but she couldn't find him. She could only hear the sound of that heartbreaking cry.

She called to him. She tried to reassure him that she was there, that she was coming for him. But she couldn't see him. She couldn't find him. Where was her baby?

She woke up with a frightened start, sitting straight up in bed, breathing heavily, the sound of her baby's cry still echoing in her ears. Beside her, she felt Zuko stir. "You okay, sweetie?" he asked.

The sound of his voice broke through the panic. But instead of calming, she burst into tears. She needed to be able to see her baby. What if she couldn't? What if her baby needed her and she couldn't find him?

Zuko sat up and reached for her, and she threw herself against him.

"I couldn't see him," she sobbed. "I couldn't find the baby, Zuko."

He had no idea what to do except rub her back and reassure her. "It's okay," he repeated, holding her close. "It was just a bad dream, sweetie."

Finally, her tears subsided and she whispered, "I'm okay." Then she curled up against him and went back to sleep, the nightmare fading away. After a long while, so did he.

The next morning, the group gathered as usual to watch Zuko and Jet's sparring practice. Mai stood on her balcony as the two men stretched in preparation. She noticed that Zuko wore his customary dark red trousers and sleeveless tunic, while Jet wore dark green.

She also noted that Jet was holding the black meteor sword instead of the silver sword Sokka had given him to use.

Down on the grounds, Sokka stood near them. "Are you sure you don't mind?" Jet was asking again as he gave the black sword an experimental swing.

"No, use it," Sokka replied sincerely, then turned to walk away.

"Why do you want it anyway?" Zuko asked Jet, pulling his own twin blades free.

"I want to try some sword bending," Jet replied. "You know, see if I can enhance my swordplay with some of the bending techniques Toph has been teaching me."

"That makes me nervous," Zuko replied with a grin. "She's pretty devious. Who knows what you'll be doing. Just try not to actually puncture me, okay?"

"Hey, I'm the one experimenting," Jet stated. "I'll probably be terrible at it and get myself punctured instead. We'll go easy—but pay attention just in case."

Zuko agreed and the two began trading some tentative blows, Jet working to enhance his sword's maneuverability and speed with bending techniques.

In the stands, Sokka sat next to Suki, Zutara between them. Toma and Bumi had taken their usual spot underneath the stands to play in the shade.

"I think I'm going to give the meteor sword back to Jet," Sokka stated out of nowhere.

"Really?" Suki asked casually. "Why?"

"It's not like I'm going to be using it for battle or anything. It'll just hang on the wall as a souvenir," he sighed. "But that sword is a good fit for Jet because it's also a bendable for him. For an earth king to have an earth sword—that's pretty cool, you have to admit."

"But that's your sword, Daddy," Zutara spoke up. "You've told me the whole story about how the metal fell out of the sky and how you learned to be a warrior and how they made your sword just for you."

"That was a long time ago," Sokka answered, putting his arm around her. "I think maybe that sword came to me at the time I needed it, but now Jet needs it to help him be king of Omashu."

"No, Daddy," Zutara refused to be swayed. "That's your sword."

"Not anymore, baby," Sokka replied, giving her a kiss on the head and turning his attention back to the combatants as Aang sat next to him. Suki meanwhile moved up a row in the stands to talk to Katara and Toph.

"Isn't Mai coming down?" Katara asked as Suki sat down next to her. "She never misses a match."

"She's on her way," Toph replied.

Up on her balcony, Mai started to take the stairs down to the courtyard when her attention was suddenly riveted to the scene below her. It seemed familiar—too familiar.

She looked down at the two men exchanging blows. They danced back and forth, that strange dark blade meeting those twin broadswords with a ringing sound. They laughed as they fought, challenging and taunting each other.

She noticed Jet's style of sword play as if for the first time. It was haphazard, sloppy almost. A mix of styles and tricks cobbled together from a lifetime of facing a wide variety of opponents. Zuko's classically trained style stood in contrast to it.

But each time Zuko attempted to take advantage of an opening, Jet would somehow close the gap—always in an unexpected fashion. And he would frequently turn that parry into an attack of his own, keeping Zuko hard pressed to avoid the tip of his blade as well.

They were both stronger now, moving easier, more fluidly. Mai always enjoyed watching them spar. She enjoyed watching Jet move, watching the strength and control in his arms and shoulders. Watching the gracefulness as he circled and advanced in their deadly ballet.

But today, she was not enjoying it. Today she was held in her spot by a disturbing feeling of deja vu. She'd seen this all before. She'd watched this very fight before, she knew it.

In a flash it came to her. She'd dreamed about it in the swamp. She knew what was going to happen next. At any moment a small child was going to dart out between them and tangle in Jet's legs, slowing him just enough to keep him from evading Zuko's blade. A cold chill ran over her.

Jet was going to die.

She began to run.

Zutara, meanwhile, was out of patience. She inched her way down the rows of seats until she stood on the edge of the ring. She looked back up at her parents. Both were busy talking and watching.

Then she looked back at where Jet and Uncle Zuko fought. That was her daddy's sword. Jet couldn't keep it. You didn't give something to someone then take it back. It wasn't right.

If her daddy wouldn't ask for his sword back, she'd just do it. She watched until it looked like Jet and Uncle Zuko might be getting ready to stop. Then she ran out into the ring.

Jet was so busy concentrating on trying to avoid Zuko's swords while influencing his own with bending that he never saw the little girl running toward him. However, he did see Mai running from the other side.

He wondered just what she was doing when he felt an impact against his leg, slowing him down just as Zuko lunged toward him. But then Mai slammed into him from the other side, knocking him out of the way of Zuko's sword.

The tip of the curved blade snagged her side instead, and blood began to pour from the jagged wound, spreading bright red on the gold silk of her dress.

Time seemed to slow down as he turned to her. She stood there, her hand pressed against her side, her eyes wide.

His sword fell from his hand with a distant clatter and he caught her just as her knees buckled. He was vaguely aware that Zuko had pulled Zutara to the side as well, his own swords falling into the dust with a faraway ring.

The sun shone down brightly, casting his shadow across her as he eased her to the ground, supporting her in his arms. Mai looked up at him as if she wanted to tell him something. "Jet," she whispered, reaching her hand up to his face.

She wanted to say the words. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. She'd never said it. She'd always been afraid to jump.

But she'd done it. She'd jumped. And he'd caught her. Everything began to swirl around her. She needed to say the words. To be sure he heard it. He had to know.

She met his eyes with a little smile, still trying to speak. Katara ran up to her, waters swirling urgently around the jagged wound in her side where it bled freely, pouring red onto the brown stones.

Kneeling there on the earth, Mai in his arms, Jet could feel her heart beat, he could feel it slow and skip. Fear ripped through him. She was slipping away from him.

"No, no," he whispered to her, "Mai, don't do this to me. Don't leave me. Please, don't."

Then her eyes fluttered shut.

_(AN: Because I love you all, I am posting the next chapter as well. I just can't make you wait two days. That doesn't mean you get to skip reviewing this chapter. Review first! Then read.)_


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Desperately Jet sought Mai's heartbeat, but fear had shut down his vision. He was blind.

"Toph?" came Katara's anxious voice.

"She's alive, she's alive," Toph assured them all. Jet clung to her words like a lifeline.

"I can't see her," Jet whispered brokenly, his hand shaking as he smoothed the hair back from her face. She still wore that little secret smile.

"She's alive, Jet," Toph repeated. "I can still see her. She's alive." Then Jet realized Toph was also reassuring Zuko, who knelt on the ground across from them, his face pale. His broadsword lay in the dirt, Mai's blood staining the blade. Toph knelt next to him, her arms encircling him tightly.

Katara continued to work, Aang's hands on her shoulders. His eyes glowed blue and Jet realized he must be helping her through the avatar state.

At his other side, he became aware that Sokka held Zutara in his arms. The little girl was sobbing. Suki stood next to him, her arm around his waist, one hand stroking Zutara's back.

Mai lay there so still, so pale as he cradled her. She was so fragile. He could see the blood staining her dress, flowing red on the brown stone of the courtyard. He tried again to feel her, but couldn't. He was so afraid.

At last, Katara looked up at him. "I've stopped the bleeding," she sighed. "That was close. Any worse and . . ." she let her voice trail off without completing the thought. "Right now she needs rest. She lost a lot of blood and it may be a while before she wakes up."

Jet carefully picked her up and walked toward her apartments. Aang was immediately at his side, as was Zuko, ready to help.

He carried her upstairs and placed her gently on the bed. Katara adjusted the pillows and put a light coverlet across her. "I'll need to watch her carefully for a while to be sure she doesn't go into shock," she stated.

"I'm not leaving," Jet declared, taking a seat on the bed at Mai's side, his eyes never leaving her face.

"The rest of us will wait downstairs," Toph stated, putting her arm around Zuko and heading toward the door. Then she stopped and pulled her meteor bracelet from her arm.

The unusual metal was extremely bendable and it took very little effort for her to pull a section free, shaping it into a ring with a wide band. She walked to the bed and took Jet's hand, slipping the ring onto his finger and bending it to fit comfortably. Then she placed his hand on Mai's arm.

"Can you feel her again?" Toph asked softly.

Jet closed his eyes and concentrated through the metal of the ring. There she was. He could feel her heartbeat, steady now and strong. He nodded, not trusting himself for words.

"Good," she said, then gave him a kiss on the forehead.

Walking back to the door, she took Zuko's hand and walked him downstairs to a quiet corner.

They sat down and Toph watched Aang have a few words with Sokka and Suki. Then the three of them gathered the children and went into another room, leaving her and Zuko alone.

"Are you okay, baby?" she asked him. She knew he wasn't. She could feel him shaking, even without the benefit of her earthbending vision.

"Why did she do that?" Zuko asked in reply. "I nearly killed her." He sighed and put his head in his hands, still trembling.

"I don't know," Toph answered gently. "But she's going to be okay." She rubbed his back for several seconds, then he turned and pulled her into his arms, resting his head on her shoulder. She ran her fingers through his hair and held him until he settled again.

Upstairs, Jet sat next to Mai, his hand never leaving her wrist. With the ring on, he could see her with all his vision and he clung to the sight desperately.

That moment when her eyes closed and his vision had slipped away from him, blocked by fear, still hung in his mind. Any time he closed his eyes, he could see her dying in front of him, could feel the loss surging in his veins. Then he'd force himself to open his eyes again and watch her breathe, force the fear back so he could see her with his earthbending sight.

What had she been doing? What had caused her to do something so reckless? She'd nearly died.

Just the thoughts of it sent his heart racing again. His throat ached. He concentrated again on feeling her heartbeat, seeing her chest rise and fall.

Katara watched quietly from a nearby chair for several more minutes, then stood. "I'm going to tell everyone that she's hanging in there. I don't see any signs that she's getting shocky," she said softly.

Then Katara put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Jet, she's going to be fine. I'll be back in a few minutes. If she wakes up, just keep her still, okay?"

Jet nodded. He never took his eyes off Mai as Katara left the room. He willed her to open her eyes, to wake up and speak to him. To come back to him.

Downstairs, Sokka and Suki had managed to get Zutara to calm down enough to tell her side of the story. Then with the resiliency of childhood, she got down to play with the boys.

"If Jet ever found out that Zutara was trying to get that sword back, he'd never keep it," Sokka sighed, looking at Suki sadly. "And it belongs to him, Suki. He can use it in a way I never would be able to do. He's supposed to have it now. That's why he found it."

"Sokka, I don't know if you can keep him from finding out," Suki replied worriedly. "You know what a talker Zutara is."

Sokka thought for a moment. "It's supposed to be his. Don't say anything to Zutara and maybe she'll just forget about it," he finally decided.

Suki nodded, but inwardly wondered if he was thinking of some other child of theirs named Zutara. The one she knew had never forgotten anything in her life.

When Katara came down to let them know Mai was doing as well as could be expected, Sokka got up from the sofa. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he said, then walked out the door.

Outside, shining in the sun, the guys' swords lay on the earth of the practice grounds. Mai's blood still stained the end of Zuko's broadsword. In silent guilt, Sokka carefully cleaned the blade and placed it and the other broadsword as well as Jet's black sword on the lowest seat of the stands.

Then he got a bucket of water and began to wash the blood off the stones of the courtyard. Once he was satisfied that everything was back to normal, he picked up the three blades and headed back into Mai's apartments.

He walked up to Zuko, his eyes solemn, and held out the broadswords to him. Zuko looked up at him, but only hesitated a second before taking the swords from Sokka's hand and resheathing them at his side. Then Zuko reached out for Toph's hand and held it silently.

Sokka slid the black blade back into his own scabbard, but it felt very uncomfortable at his hip. He wanted to take it off, but wore it as penance instead. He should have been more in control of his own child.

Suki looked up at his face, its expression set and grim. She wanted to tell him not to blame himself, but she knew it would do no good. All she could do was give him space and time. Plus, she felt a good bit of guilt herself. She should have seen what Zutara was up to.

Aang watched the drama in the room and was full of sympathy for all of them. They blamed themselves for something that was just going to happen. How could Zuko predict Mai's actions? How could Sokka or Suki have seen the inner workings of the mind of a child? He sighed and glanced up at the ceiling, certain that upstairs Jet was finding some way for the whole thing to be his fault.

Jet had indeed tread those grounds as he sat with his hand on Mai's arm, watching her, waiting for her to wake up. But in the end, he'd come to the realization that Mai's reasons were her own, and that if she hadn't been there to knock him aside, it might have been him bleeding out in her place.

Katara had gone downstairs again to send for the herbalist when Mai finally stirred. Her eyes opened and she looked at Jet in surprise. "You're here," she whispered. "You didn't die."

"Nope," he answered with a grin, "and neither did you. Even though you scared the life out of me."

Mai looked at him again and tried to sit up, but Jet kept her pressed back into the pillows. "No moving. Healer's orders. Just lie still and rest, okay?"

She nodded weakly, then murmured, "I have to tell you something."

Jet listened, but she didn't say any more. Then her eyes closed and he realized she'd gone back to sleep.

When she woke the next time, both Katara and the herbalist were in the room as well. Jet stood to the side as the two women consulted, then decided on some blood building herbs to help Mai recover her strength.

Then they sent Jet out of the room so they could get Mai out of her bloodstained dress and into something clean and comfortable. By the time they had her settled again, she was exhausted. She managed to stay awake long enough to see Jet come back into the room, but once she knew he was with her again, she drifted to sleep once more.

Late that afternoon, she woke again. This time Toph was there with Katara. "Jet?" Mai asked, aware that her voice sounded a little bit pitiful, but not really caring. Where was he?

"He'll be back soon," Toph assured her. "He hasn't left your side for a minute. We just made him go downstairs and get something to eat."

"He'll be furious that you woke up and he wasn't here," Katara added, holding a cup of liquid to her lips until she drank it. "You just rest now so that when he comes back, you'll be awake enough to talk to him."

Mai nodded slightly and closed her eyes. She tried not to go back to sleep, but had just begun to drift off when she heard the door open. Jet? She opened her eyes to see him come in the room.

Toph and Katara made themselves scarce, leaving the two of them alone.

"Hey, there," Jet said softly, coming to sit next to her. She noticed he was wearing a strange black ring. He hadn't seemed the jewelry type to her before.

"What's that?" she asked, looking down at the ring as he took her hand in his.

"Toph made it for me," he answered. "It's made out of the same metal as the black sword. I can see you with it—earthbending style."

"What do you see?" she asked quietly.

"I can see your heartbeat and feel where you are. I can tell what you're doing without watching you with my eyes," he said, reaching up to brush her hair back from her face.

"So you can spy on me," she teased lightly.

"No," he answered seriously, then realized she was teasing him. "I would never spy on you," he said. Then he realized he needed to backtrack. "Actually, that time you were washing your hair in the waterfall and told me to turn around, I was still watching you with earthbending. But I was still learning then. I didn't see much."

"Much?" she asked doubtfully.

"Well, not as much as I wanted to," he replied easily. Then he pulled the coverlet a little higher around her shoulders. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she said. "But I'm still tired."

"Katara said it will take you a few days to build back from the blood loss," he said. "You took a pretty bad hit out there." He looked at her with a question in his eyes, giving her the opportunity to tell him why she'd done it.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, her eyes beginning to shut again. She realized that she must have really scared them. And poor Zuko. He was the one with the sword in his hand. "Tell Zuko I'm sorry. I had to do it," she tried to explain as she drifted off to sleep again.

"Why, Mai?" Jet asked. "Why did you have to do it?"

Mai forced herself to wake up enough to answer him. "For you. I had to do it for you," she whispered, then drifted off again.

Jet sat there beside her, his mind whirling with questions. What on earth was she talking about? She had to throw herself on Zuko's sword for him? He watched her sleep again, aware that maybe a little color was beginning to appear in her cheeks.

Meanwhile, his back was getting stiff from all the sitting and he stood to stretch. There was a soft tap at the door and he opened it to let Katara and Toph back in the room. "Is Zuko still downstairs?" Jet asked Toph.

"Yes," she replied. "Do you want me to get him?"

"I'll go see him," Jet answered. Then he looked back at Mai where she lay resting, her position looking more like true rest to him than convalescence. "I'll be back in a minute."

Jet walked downstairs and found Zuko with Aang in the small sitting room. Sokka and Suki had taken the three children to put them down for a nap.

"Got a minute?" Jet asked Zuko.

"Sure," came Zuko's immediate response.

"I'll go see if the girls need anything," Aang offered, but Jet told him to stay.

"Maybe you'll know what this is all about," Jet continued. Then he sat down with a sigh on a nearby chair. "I asked Mai what happened out there and she said she had to do it. Then she told me to tell you she was sorry, Zuko, but that she had to do it."

He took another deep breath. "Then when I asked her why she had to do it, she said she did it for me. What's she talking about?"

Zuko and Aang exchanged glances. Aang shook his head and shrugged. "I've got no idea."

"Me either," Zuko said. "But I'm the one who's sorry, Jet. If I'd just been paying closer attention to my angles of attack, I'd have been able to pull the blow in time. It was a juvenile mistake."

Jet argued with him. "Don't be an idiot, Zuko. This was a sparring match. No outside interference allowed. Besides, I told you to watch my sword because I'd be working on bending."

Seeing that Zuko was taking that well, Jet added, "Now, if you want to go no holds barred, we can melee in the courtyard and get everyone in on it. Then you can't complain when somebody jumps you from behind."

"Have you ever seen this group go all out in bending practice?" Aang asked Jet with a grin. "You might want to hold off on your group fight idea until you've see that one in action. It gets pretty wild."

Jet got up to go back upstairs again. "I've been in bar fights in the lowest ring of Ba Sing Se. I've seen wild."

"Tell me about it," Zuko sighed. "My uncle started a fight in a place called The Spinning Waterlily. I thought we'd never get out of there alive."

"Was there a guy in there throwing meat pies and laughing?" Jet asked curiously.

"Yep, you know him?" Zuko asked.

"Unfortunately," Jet replied, then made his way back up the stairs.

He sat at Mai's bedside in the same armchair she'd sat in the night they brought him back from the city's dungeon. He sat in the same spot and watched her sleep.

It was almost midnight when Katara came in to check on her. "Has she been awake again?" she asked quietly.

"No," Jet replied. "She just seems to be sleeping."

"She needs to take these herbs," Katara said, pouring a package into a cup of water and stirring vigorously.

"Hey," Jet called softly, rubbing Mai's hands and stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. "Wake up, sugar. Time to take your medicine."

"Sugar?" Mai responded with a little groan.

"You prefer hot stuff?" Jet asked with a little laugh.

"Yes," she answered sleepily.

"Okay, then, hot stuff, sit up and drink this," he said, placing one hand behind her back to help her sit up. He was glad to see she was able to hold the cup for herself. She was getting stronger, he knew it.

Once she'd finished, she passed him the empty cup, lay back on the pillows, and looked up at him, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Let me know if you need anything," Katara said softly, then walked out the door.

"She's got a great bedside manner," Mai noted. "She knows when to leave you alone."

Jet laughed and took her hand in his. "You feeling better?"

"Just tired," she replied with a yawn.

"Then go back to sleep," he said, leaning forward to plant a kiss on her forehead.

"I have to tell you something," she began. Through the meteor ring, he could tell that her heart began to beat a little faster.

"What is is?" he asked when she didn't say anything.

It was so unfair, Mai thought to herself. Words came so easy to him. He could just say it—I love you. He'd told her three times already. She was so nervous.

After a few quiet minutes, Jet pulled the coverlet around her and gave her another kiss on the forehead. "You rest," he ordered gently. "There will be plenty of time to talk in the morning."

She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but frustration warred with exhaustion, conspiring to keep her awake. Meanwhile, Jet moved back to the armchair and leaned back, closing his own eyes.

She looked up at him and thought about what she'd done. She'd thrown herself into danger for his sake—just like he'd done with the grizzly and the bandits. If she'd died that morning in his place, her only regret would have been that he'd never heard her say how she felt about him.

If she could be brave enough to die for him, couldn't she be brave enough to let him hear the words?

"Jet?" she called softly. Maybe he was asleep.

But he opened his eyes and looked at her. "What is it, sugar?" he asked.

She wasn't going to have regrets. What if something happened to him? What if something happened to her? He had to know.

"I prefer hot stuff," she heard herself say.

He laughed. "I'll remember that. Go to sleep, hot stuff."

"I love you." The words just sort of fell out of her mouth in a tumble.

Jet moved to sit on the bed beside her and took her hand. "I don't know what I'd do if you didn't," he replied, pressing a kiss on her fingers. "It would make marriage difficult. And I am going to marry you, Mai."

Mai rolled over onto her side and got comfortable by curling up next to him, one arm cast over him to keep him close to her. "I'm counting on it," she murmured, suddenly unable to keep sleep at bay.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The next morning, Mai dreamed of the fight again, waking with a start to hear the sound of swords ringing against one another outside. She looked around for Jet, her breath constricted in sudden fear.

Katara immediately went to her side. "Where's Jet?" Mai asked breathlessly.

"Don't worry," came Katara's response. "They're being super careful this morning, I promise."

"He's out there fighting with Zuko again?" Mai blurted anxiously. "What if he gets hurt?"

Katara sat down next to her and placed a calming hand on her arm. "He's got to get right back in training, Mai. You know that. He and Zuko both have to keep working like it didn't happen. Otherwise, they won't be able to."

Mai lay there and listened, the logical part of her knowing that Katara was right. They had to get back into training. The first thing she'd learned in her study of the martial arts was that when you fell, you got back up and tried again. Otherwise, the fall had already defeated you.

The emotional part of her, however, could only see the scars on Jet's body. He didn't take care of himself. He took reckless chances. He would put himself in danger, and she wouldn't be there to stop it.

"I'm going out there," Mai stated firmly. If he was going to fight, she was going to watch.

"I'd rather you stayed in bed and rested," Katara said.

But Mai was not to be deterred. At last, Katara relented enough to put a chair on the balcony and helped Mai sit outside, wrapped up warmly in blankets.

The two men were nearly done by the time she got out there, and she was relieved when they finally broke apart and went to the fountain for water. They sat on the stone edge, both breathing heavily. Then she saw Zuko clap Jet on the shoulder and get up to walk back to the stands where Toph sat watching.

Then Jet stood up and stretched his shoulders. She could tell he was sore by the way he moved. Then he looked up toward her room and smiled when he saw her on the balcony. She gave him a little wave.

He crossed the courtyard and took the steps up to her balcony two at a time, coming to kneel beside her chair, the black sword sheathed at his side.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked, still a little out of breath. His hair was damp where he'd run cold water from the fountain through it to cool off from the workout.

"Much better," she replied then gave a little shiver. The morning air was cool, despite the blankets around her. "Just cold."

"You have been cold from the minute I met you," Jet laughed. "Let's get you back inside where it's warm."

And with no perceivable effort at all, he picked her up and carried her back to the bed, settling her in with an extra coverlet thrown over her for good measure. "Better?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered. Then Katara returned to the room, cup full of medical herbs in hand.

"Drink up," she ordered, passing Mai the cup.

"Let me go get cleaned up and changed and I'll come visit," Jet said, rising to head back to the balcony.

"Please do," Mai replied. He gave her a smile and ran a finger down her cheek, then left the way he'd come in.

Katara gave her a big smile as Mai sighed. "He is pretty adorable," Katara offered with a little teasing laugh.

"He's gorgeous," Mai countered. "Can I get up and get dressed?"

"Just be sure to go slowly," Katara instructed. "I'll give you a hand."

Downstairs Jet met up with Toph and Zuko as they headed back to their own apartments.

"You up for bending practice this afternoon?" Toph asked.

"Well," Jet began slowly, "I really need to go downtown for a little while and let the guys know what happened to me yesterday."

"If you're going to be meeting up with Longshot, I'd like to tag along," Zuko interjected just as Toph began to protest. "I'd like to place some orders with him. He was showing me his work the other night. He's really good."

Toph immediately began to harangue them both about the importance of training—especially since King Bumi had announced a contest date the day before. "You've only got two weeks before you're presented to King Bumi," she declared in exasperation. "You'll never be ready if you don't practice."

"From what you guys have been telling me, I'm the only qualified candidate," Jet said with a shrug. "Doesn't seem like much of a contest to me."

Toph stopped him with a hand on his arm and glared up at him intently. "Do not underestimate King Bumi," she said firmly. "Who knows what he's got planned? If you don't believe me, ask Zuko how it felt to be on the receiving end of Bumi's unpredictability."

Zuko shivered at the memory. "No, don't ask," he groaned. "I hate tight places."

But after a change of clothes and a nice visit with Mai over lunch, Jet found himself walking down the streets of Omashu with Zuko. He couldn't help but ask.

Zuko recounted briefly King Bumi's previous attempt to crown a new monarch of Omashu. "Toph told me that he'd admitted setting the whole thing up just to try to get her to come take over for him. He didn't think he'd ever find another earthbender who could hear the earth. She was the only other one he'd run across in over a hundred years of searching," Zuko offered as they walked down a dirty, crowded street.

"But knowing you're out there will make him either go easy on you or try to shake you even harder," Zuko postulated. "Then again with Bumi, you just never know."

The marketstalls were full of people for trade days with the newly arrived Southern Earth Kingdom merchants. Jet had foiled two attempted pickpocketings in the crowd and Zuko three.

On the outer edges of the stalls, Jet noticed clear signs of bandit activity, hard-looking men gathered in twos and threes observing the coming and going of customers and merchants, analyzing the security levels of potential targets. He knew very well what they were doing, having done the same himself in years past.

"I sure wish we had Chun and his strike team with us," Zuko stated. "This place is crawling with thieves."

Jet looked at the two of them and realized he'd seriously misjudged the timing of this visit. They weren't exactly underdressed, and Zuko's Fire Nation colors stood out like a sore thumb in the otherwise shabby crowd. Anybody watching them would know in an instant that they were not locals.

Jet reached down to pat the hilt of the black sword for reassurance, glad once again that Sokka had decided to give it back to him. Part of him felt bad about taking it back, but the sword had become so much a part of him over the years that he just couldn't find it in him to resist too much.

Once at the leather shop, both men shed their outer tunics in bright Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom colors. Smellerbee loaned them a knapsack to stuff them in, agreeing that in their plain sleeves and dark trousers they looked much less noticeable.

While Zuko and Longshot took care of some business, Jet went back to the storage area where he crashed between jobs. He opened the little wooden box that held all his valuables and pulled out the only item inside, a leather pouch of money.

About half of it was the money Tiandu had paid him to escort Lady Mai's brother from Ba Sing Se to Omashu. It had only been weeks since that meeting, but it seemed like years—so much had changed in his life since then.

He weighed the pouch in his hand and compared the man who'd taken the assignment to the man he was now. That Jet hadn't been an earthbender. He hadn't been friends with folks like the Avatar and Prince Zuko. He hadn't even laid eyes on Lady Mai before, much less kissed her, much less loved her.

That was the biggest change in his life, he decided. Even compared to being candidate for the throne of Omashu, the change that had come about in his life since he'd met Mai was the most dramatic. Meeting her had made him see everything he was and everything he wanted to be in a completely different light.

He tossed the bag of money into the air and caught it again with a snap of the wrist. First, he would return every cent Tiandu had given him—then he wouldn't be her employee any more.

Then he'd take the rest and see if it was enough for a new set of blades for her holsters. It wasn't exactly the most romantic engagement gift anyone had ever given, he thought with a grin, but she would probably appreciate it far more than a silk coat or a piece of jewelry.

Then Jet joined the rest of the gang for a nice visit, explaining his absence the day before to the concerns of the rest of the group. He assured them all that Mai would be fine and invited them up to the upper ring for dinner that evening.

"I don't have anything to wear," Smellerbee immediately stated. "I'd rather you just came here again. Besides I don't like going up there—it's all too fancy for me."

Zuko assured her that dinner would be very casual. "But I think you and Longshot need to consider moving the shop up to a district closer to the palace," he added. "I've got enough commissions planned to get you guys comfortably settled for a while."

"What kind of commissions?" Smellerbee asked suspiciously, darting a glance over at her quiet husband. Longshot just gave her a little smile—a smile that told her volumes. It was for real. Real jobs, not charity. She'd never take Zuko's charity. Or anybody else's for that matter. Longshot knew that.

"I've ordered several items for presentations and awards," Zuko explained. "Plus a New Year's present for Uncle Iroh. I think if your work was available to a broader customer base, you'd see a lot more business of that kind."

Smellerbee looked again at Longshot, who nodded this time. She tried to hide it, but inwardly she was thrilled. She knew how talented Longshot was—she knew how much it galled him to have to survive off basic leatherwork, how much he longed to do more than cut bridles and stamp workmen's aprons.

She began to imagine all the beautiful leathers and fittings they'd be able to purchase, the new dyes and equipment. She started to get excited. Suddenly dinner in the upper ring didn't sound nearly as intimidating.

"I bet Sokka and I can get you a much higher quality leather from the Watertribe than you've been getting before," The Duke added helpfully.

"The main issue with getting good leather is the safety of the trade route," Smellerbee sighed. "It's just too risky to import really nice stuff since so much of it goes missing along the way."

Jet stood and began to pace in thought. This was yet another problem he'd always known was there—along with broken fountains, dirty streets, unsafe marketplaces. Highly organized and well-equipped gangs of bandits threatened the trade routes constantly. Omashu authorities were either outnumbered or bribed into turning a blind eye to the activity.

He remembered the complete lack of procedure when they'd arrested him. He could almost guarantee that if he'd been a member of a truly powerful gang, he'd have been let off without punishment.

In fact, he wondered if Li and his boss were even still in jail. Probably not, he thought wryly. Meanwhile, if Aang and Mai hadn't come to get him, he'd probably still be rotting away down there without trial, without representation. Something had to be done.

Whatever happened in King Bumi's contest, Jet determined to find some way to make Omashu safe for innocent people to live and work and do business. Trade was Omashu's lifeblood—without safe, open trade between the outer provinces and Ba Sing Se and the inner provinces, Omashu would crumble from within and the entire Earth Kingdom would suffer.

Omashu had become his home. He actually cared about what happened to it. It surprised him how much he cared.

After a light lunch with the group, Jet and Zuko made their way back out into the streets. The guys promised to come up for dinner and Jet and Zuko assured them of clearance into the residential compound. Jet assured them most forcefully of their easy entrance—he never wanted anyone to go through what he'd been through at the gates.

The market was even more crowded as shoppers took advantage of the warm autumn sunshine to visit the various stalls and dealers. Perhaps it was the crowds, perhaps it was the confidence in their own abilities to take care of themselves, perhaps it was the sheer tenacity and diabolical organization of the criminals targeting them.

At any rate, when a merchant's cart suddenly pulled in front of them, dumping half its load of cabbages into the street, Jet and Zuko stopped and began to help gather the vegetables as the forlorn merchant mourned their loss. Neither noticed a second cart approaching from a side street or a pair of old, harmless-looking men who also bent to help gather the fallen produce.

As the second cart passed behind them, the two old men expertly tapped each one of them on the back of the head, just below and behind the ear with an easily concealed leather sap, dropping Jet and Zuko like sacks of flour. The second cart paused just long enough for two more men to load them up into the back, tossing a heavy cloth across them.

If any of the bystanders noticed what happened, they knew to keep quiet—any other reaction was only inviting trouble of a kind they absolutely didn't want or need.

Zuko awoke in the darkness to a splitting headache, a hand shaking him, and the sound of a voice. "Sparky! Sparky, wake up!"

"Only my wife calls me Sparky," he groaned.

"Yeah, I know," came Jet's response, "but I didn't think you'd want to risk your real name with the crowd that's got us."

Zuko felt around him in the pitch black darkness. He was lying on a metal floor, up against a metal wall. He sat up, ignoring the pain in his head. He brushed against someone—Jet. They were in some kind of metal cell. "Where are we?" he asked.

"We're in a bender box," Jet replied quietly.

Zuko thought for a moment, then an image came to him. Toph had told him of how she'd learned to bend metal while held prisoner in a box like this one.

"Can you get us out of this?" Jet asked curiously.

Zuko felt around for any wood he might burn through. No luck. "I don't think so," he replied. "This thing appears to be made of all metal."

"So no burning us out, huh?" Jet asked.

"Not unless you want it to heat up like an oven," Zuko answered. His head was beginning to feel better. "Who do you think has us?"

"My guess is professional kidnappers," Jet stated. "We are complete idiots, you know that, don't you?"

Zuko sighed. He felt perfectly idiotic all right so he agreed. The two of them sat quietly, each berating himself for being so careless, for being so trusting, for being less than prepared.

"Yeah, well, we're idiots," Zuko finally admitted aloud. "Let's not make it worse. First, we get out of here, then we get back before anyone realizes that we've been caught like a couple of pigeondoves."

"Then we never speak of it again," Jet added firmly.

"Agreed," Zuko stated, and the two men found each other's wrists for a firm forearm shake to seal the bargain.

"My wife learned to bend her way out of one of these," Zuko offered. "How about it? Willing to give that a try?"

Jet shrugged in the darkness. "Why not?" he sighed. Then he rose to his knees and began to tap the box with the palms of his hands, looking for feedback, any kind of feedback.

The earth inside the metal whispered to him softly, like the metal ring in the prison where they'd beaten him. He began to get an idea of the shape and size of the box, but couldn't move any of it. It seemed like an eternity that he tapped and listened, pressing his forehead against the cold metal wall—partially to increase the sensation he was getting from it, partially because the coolness felt good against his skin.

His head hurt. It had hurt when he woke up, but instead of easing off, it seemed to be getting worse.

He ignored it.

Finally, he had a breakthrough. "I can see the lock," he whispered to Zuko. "But I can't bend it. Maybe you can direct enough heat at it to get it to break."

Carefully, the two switched places in the box so that Zuko knelt before the door. He ran his hand down the corner until he met the finger Jet pointed at the particular spot where the lock held the door sealed. He took a deep breath and centered his focus on the specific area he wanted to heat.

Precision was indeed a firebender's best weapon; however, precision was one of the hardest disciplines to master. Precise bending without vision was very difficult indeed. As he worked, he concentrated on keeping the flame tight, white hot like a blowtorch. Even then, the metal around the spot began to get really hot.

Soon it grew seriously uncomfortably hot in the tight confines. "You okay?" he asked Jet, aware that the earthbender would be much less tolerant of the heat than he would.

When there was no answer from his fellow prisoner, Zuko decided that enough was enough. Either the lock would break or he'd have to stop before Jet died of heat exhaustion. He took another deep breath and kicked out at the door with both feet.

He felt something give and the door opened maybe two inches, enough to let in a little light and cool air and to reveal the bent band of metal that still held the door secure. With light to see by, Zuko directed another white hot jet of flame at the metal band, softening it enough to break it with another hard kick.

Once the door stood open, cool air rushed in and Jet began to stir.

"You all right?" Zuko asked, reaching a hand down to help him to his feet.

"Sure," Jet managed to reply. "Just got a little hot there."

The two explored the small room the box had been stored in, finding a bucket of water and some food.

"Looks like we're supposed to make ourselves at home," Jet commented with a bitter laugh. The two drank gratefully, deciding that their need for water outweighed the chance it had been drugged.

"Our guards must have stepped out for a moment," Zuko surmised from the setup of the room.

"That's my guess," Jet agreed, taking in the cots and scattered personal belongings. "Most of these gangs keep their victims in a bender box or something similar so they never know where they're being held or who's got them." They looked around for their weapons, but Zuko's broadswords and Jet's black sword and dagger were nowhere to be seen.

They moved to the door, surprised to see that it had been left unlocked. Clearly, their captors did not expect them to escape the bender box.

"That's good," Zuko commented quietly, closing the door of the bender box and reshaping the lock with a jet of flame. "If they aren't expecting us to be out and about, we might be able to just walk out of here."

"I'm not leaving without my sword," Jet declared firmly, glancing up and down the long hallway that stretched past them. They seemed to be in the basement of a building if his earthbending sight could be trusted.

Up a set of stairs at the end of the hallway, they paused at a wooden doorway just long enough for Jet to feel for anyone on the other side.

Quiet.

They opened the door and saw that they'd entered a large kitchen area. A pot of some kind of stew simmered on the stove.

The stone floor of the kitchen gave way to wooden floors as they passed into a hallway, and Jet was reduced to listening and watching for pursuers. The hallway was lavishly decorated, if a bit garish in its choice of color and materials.

Zuko heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching and pulled Jet with him through the nearest doorway. Jet paused at the doorway with one ear on the wooden panel, listening for the steps to pass. Once the footsteps faded, he took a few steps backward into the room, his eyes fairly popping at the decorations.

The room was draped in what had once been luxurious velvets of gold, green, and red. Ornate mirrors hung everywhere, their glass faded with age. Paintings decorated the walls, but the subject matter was—shall we say—explicit in its depiction of male/female relationships.

"Zuko," he began, as he glanced around the room. "I think we're in a brothel."

A giggle behind him made him turn around to see a gigantic bed where five young ladies in various states of undress lounged provocatively.

Zuko just looked back at him, his expression blank. "Do you think?" he asked dryly.

_(AN: Sorry it has taken so long to update—last week was crazy busy! But, hey, I'm back on track now!)_


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

One of the young ladies slithered off the bed, her silky robe barely covering her body. "So, you two are looking for some companionship?" she asked in a deep, suggestive voice, running her hand across Zuko's shoulder and down his arm.

"Not really," Zuko replied, wondering just how many ways Toph would find to torture him if she ever found out about this.

"Oh," she said, turning her attention to Jet, "then you two are looking for a little private time on your own?" She ran an hand across his chest as she looked up at him, amusement in her heavily lined eyes.

Jet realized what she was hinting at. "No," he responded firmly, taking one step away from Zuko—not noticing that Zuko had also stepped away from him.

"We're here on business and got turned around," Zuko began. "We're looking for the man in charge about a transaction."

"Suk-Chul?" she asked curiously. The woman's amusement and suggestiveness had evaporated into businesslike interest. She waved the other girls through a doorway in the back of the room, then turned a cool eye to the two young men. As he looked at her more closely, Jet realized she was older than he'd originally taken her for.

"Yeah, that's the name," Jet said with a snap of his fingers. "Gan Zhuang sent us. Said Suk-Chul was the best man for the kind of job we've got."

"Gan Zhuang's in prison," the woman said suspiciously.

"Yeah, I know. We've been out of town for a while—you know, lying low until all that blew over. Gan sent us here before he got picked up," Jet continued easily. "He's a real joker—didn't tell us we were headed for a house of accomplishments." He gave the woman a very polite bow.

"Well," the woman began, pulling the robe around her more tightly since these two weren't apparently clients after all, "Suk-Chul is out right now. You should just come back later."

"So we don't get lost again, which way should we go to find him when we come back?" Zuko asked.

"Up the stairs and the first room on the left," she said with a yawn.

The two bowed, glad to make their escape, and headed up the stairs. "Are you sure you want to risk getting caught?" Zuko asked Jet quietly as they stood before Suk-Chul's office door.

"Yes," Jet replied firmly. "I want my sword and dagger back." And Mai's money, he added to himself.

Zuko shrugged and opened the door quietly, a little flame dancing in readiness in the palm of his hand.

The room was empty. They both breathed a sigh of relief as they saw their weapons lying on a side table. The money, however, was not there. They belted on their swords and Zuko turned to leave, but Jet kept searching.

A huge, ornately carved desk sat across the room and Jet began to systematically search it for the leather bag of coins, checking every drawer and cubbyhole.

"What are you looking for?" Zuko asked. "Let's get out of here while the coast is clear."

"They took my money," Jet explained. "I want it back."

"Forget it," Zuko instructed firmly. "We're pushing our luck as it is."

When Jet kept searching, Zuko went over and laid a hand on his arm. "It's only money, Jet. Let it go."

Jet pushed away from the desk in frustration and followed Zuko to the door. Zuko opened it to see if the hallway was clear. Unfortunately, a shadow in the stairwell let them know they weren't alone any longer. He closed the door behind him and they sprang to the window.

Soon they stood on a narrow balcony overlooking the roof of the building next door. The drop was about ten feet, so they climbed down the outside of the railing and hung from their fingertips to drop the remaining few feet to the ground. Then they raced across the clay tile rooftop to a nearby alleyway, dropping again to the narrow street below.

But instead of heading away from the brothel, Jet led them back around to the front door.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked in disbelief. "We need to get out of here."

"I understand that money doesn't mean anything to you—it doesn't have to. You're rich," Jet explained as he coolly led them to the front steps. "But those guys took everything I have and I want it back."

Zuko just shook his head and loosened his broadswords in their scabbard in anticipation. Who knew what they'd get into before the day was out.

Back in the upper ring of the city, Aang stood at Jet's door, a rolled up scroll in his hand. A knock at the door brought the footman. At the footman's assurance that Jet had not returned, Aang went to Mai's apartments to find Toph visiting with her.

The girls informed him that Jet had not come back from his trip downtown with Zuko.

"Well, I got a note from King Bumi," Aang stated with a sigh. "He's decided to hold his contest three days from now."

"In three days?" Toph exclaimed in disbelief. "Jet's not ready. What on earth made Bumi decide to push the date up so early?"

Aang couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze as he reluctantly replied, "He says he's got dinner plans for that night and wants the new king picked before then."

"Dinner plans?" Toph repeated in exasperation. "Bumi has so gone off the deep end." She turned to face Aang directly. "Do you want me to go talk to him?" she asked.

"No," Aang replied calmly. "We've got a worse problem. Bumi has decided that the next king will be the winner of an earthbending duel between the contestants."

"Big deal. How many contestants can there be?" Toph asked dismissively. "Jet's the only earthbender in the kingdom who can hear the voice of the earth—other than me, of course."

Aang sighed and sat down, twisting the scroll in his hands anxiously. "King Bumi says he's found another," he said.

"Who?" came the response from Toph and Mai.

"General Ji-Fu," Aang said sorrowfully.

"Who?" asked Toph, but Mai just groaned aloud.

"I take it you know the good general," Aang stated, gesturing to Mai.

"Know him?" Mai replied angrily. "I've spent the best part of the last few years avoiding him. That man is the sorriest excuse for a general and probably the most corrupt politician I've ever had to deal with—and I've dealt with some seriously corrupt politicians."

"He's also the best earthbender in the city—" Aang stated, then looked over toward Toph and added, "present company excepted."

"Thank you," Toph said, giving him a gracious nod. "So why haven't I heard of him if he's that good?"

"He's not just a great earthbender, he's a complete snake in the grass," Mai answered angrily. "He likes to lay low and play the advisors off one another. He's done his best to build a quiet little empire of his own in Omashu. He'll deal with bandits, the military, the trade council, anyone he thinks can help him get his base of power established."

Aang nodded. "I never realized his ambition was to be king though," he sighed. "He's always seemed happy to be a loyal subject. You know, the power behind the throne."

"Ji-Fu is only loyal to himself," Mai snapped in reply. "He's out for whatever he can get—however he can get it."

"And if he's that great an earthbender, there's no way Jet will be ready to face him in three days," Toph groaned. "Jet's got potential, but he's still nowhere near ready to face a master. Any chance that Bumi would be willing to reschedule?"

"Not likely," Aang replied. "He says he's got notices going up all over the city right now announcing it. He's calling it 'Battle Royale: The Ultimate Showdown.'"

"This is insane," Toph spluttered furiously. "I can't believe Bumi would pull a stunt like this without at least giving us fair warning. He knows we've got a potential candidate."

"My guess is he's tired of waiting on us," Aang ventured, taking a seat on the end of a sofa with a sigh.

"That and he's got dinner plans," Mai observed wryly.

"I just wish the guys would get back here," Toph admitted. "If Jet's got to face a master this soon, he needs all the training he can get as fast as he can get it."

Back in the city, Jet and Zuko stood at the front door of the brothel and knocked. After a moment, a footman answered—a footman that looked more like a bodyguard than a servant. He was gigantic.

"What do you want?" he asked in a low rumbling voice.

"We've got an appointment to see Suk-Chul about a business matter," Jet began in a very condescending tone of voice. Then he proceeded to push his way past the guard. Zuko thought he'd perhaps gone insane.

The guard stopped him with one huge hand on his shoulder. Jet eyed the giant paw as disdainfully as if it had been a spotted tickroach. Then he looked back at the guard with ice in his eyes. "I am not going to say this again," he began, silken steel in his voice. "We have an appointment to see Suk-Chul. I will not stand here on the street where my business can become public. Either let us in, or explain to Suk-Chul why a very lucrative contract just walked away."

The guard wavered a moment, then let them into the front hallway of the building. The woman in the silken robe appeared from a side door. "What are you doing here again?" she asked suspiciously. "I thought you went to see Suk-Chul."

"He wasn't in," Jet replied smoothly. "Is he back yet?"

The woman shrugged. "Let them wait in here," she instructed the guard and led them into a large sitting room to one side. The young women from before were there as well, stretched out on couches, sitting at harps, painting a landscape scene—but all only barely covered by their silk robes.

"Once their business with Suk-Chul is completed, they might be interested in doing business with me," she continued with a knowing smile.

Zuko glanced around the room, taking in the exits, noting the places where a guard might be hiding in case a customer began to cause trouble.

"Perhaps," Jet replied, giving the woman a polite nod and turning his attention toward the young ladies. He took a casual stroll around the room, as if looking them over, but was more interested in potential hiding places for his money.

All the same, he couldn't help but notice that some of the girls looked far too young to be in such a place. And as alluring as they tried to appear to him, they mostly just looked like scared little girls.

One in particular wore heavy makeup that barely disguised the healing bruises on her face and neck. When she realized that he'd noticed them, her frightened eyes begged him not to say anything that might get her in trouble. He gave her a little smile and walked away, feeling sick to his stomach.

After a moment, there was a knock at the door and the madam opened it to reveal another guard, not as large as the doorman, but more sinister looking. This one was openly armed with a short sword and wore leather armor.

He looked past the madam at the two men in the room, his eyes widening in surprise. Then he drew his sword and shouted to the other guard. "Get in here, Kwan! Our downstairs guests are upstairs!"

The women shrieked and fled to the edges of the room as Jet and Zuko drew their swords as well. The guard glanced to one side, alerting Jet who retreated a step just as the madam swiped at him with a long hairpin.

"Don't let these ladies get too close to you," Jet warned Zuko, holding the angry madam at bay with his sword. "Some of them are dangerous."

"Are you ready to go yet?" Zuko asked calmly. He'd seen the way the guard had pulled his sword—he was no amateur and there might be more of them around.

"Not yet," Jet replied. "I'm still missing some money."

Just then, the giant guard came in the door, a large club in his hand. The two guards closed the distance between them and Jet and Zuko and the brawl began in earnest.

Zuko ended up facing the club-wielding giant who proceeded to attempt to bash in his head with huge, powerful swings of the heavy weapon. However, he was slow enough that Zuko managed to evade the blows, which connected to furniture instead.

The madam began screaming at him. "Be careful, Kwan, you idiot! That sofa was expensive!"

Zuko circled back toward the shrieking madam, hoping to relieve her of her hairpin, which he was almost certain had been treated with some kind of sleeping potion. Zuko didn't really want to be forced to kill the giant Kwan, but didn't see many options in overpowering him apart from wounding him seriously.

However, the madam danced away from him, putting a chaise lounge between them. As Zuko considered where to strike the giant to immobilize him but not kill him, Jet was not having any such debate with his conscience at all. He was primarily concerned with staying alive.

The guard was indeed an adept swordsman and Jet could see murder in the man's eyes. Apparently, so could the madam because she shouted out, "Hyun, don't kill him! He's worth a lot of money to this house. If you've got to kill somebody, kill the other one!"

The other one was worth more? Jet had to wonder at that. What kind of kidnappers were they dealing with that actually believed he was worth more in ransom than the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation? Then he realized that the kidnappers had no idea who Zuko was—it was Jet they were after.

That surprised him so much that Hyun almost managed to slip past his defenses, forcing him to retreat into the doorframe. He banged his head against it, causing the nearly dormant headache he'd kept since waking up in the bender box downstairs to regroup painfully.

Over the next few moments, the headache grew even worse, slowing him down and causing his vision to blur and double at the most inopportune times. It was all he could do to stay ahead of Hyun's attacks.

Zuko meanwhile placed a couple of carefully planned cuts on the giant's wrist and upper arm, weakening his hold on the club enough that he had to switch hands. Then he proceeded to do the same to the other arm. Before long, the giant knelt on the floor watching blood run down his arms. The sight was apparently too much for him as he turned an odd green shade and fainted.

Zuko turned to help Jet just in time to see the madam lunge for him again with her diabolical hairpin. However, one of the other girls, this one in heavy makeup, shoved her aside, causing the woman to scratch herself down her own arm. As she sank weakly to the floor, she gave the girl a truly malevolent look.

Within seconds, Zuko and Jet together had managed to overpower the other guard, disarming him and forcing him to sit against the wall. Jet pressed a dagger to his throat and asked, "Who sent you after me?"

From the floor, the drowsy madame managed to speak, "Don't tell him, Hyun. Suk-Chul will kill you."

Hyun listened to her and just shook his head, apparently in agreement with her. Jet patted the man down for clues instead, finding his missing money in an inside pocket. However, the money was far less important to him at the moment than figuring out who'd had him kidnapped.

His head still hurt, but he pushed the pain aside to concentrate on questioning the man.

"Who sent you?" Jet repeated, pushing the blade of his knife against the man's throat hard enough to bring a little drop of blood to lie on its silver surface.

"He'll die before he tells you," a quiet voice said from the corner. Jet glanced over to see the young woman with the bruises step out into the room.

"Shhhhhh, Eun Min!" the other girls called out in fearful warning, reaching out for her. But the young woman walked forward courageously.

The madam looked up at her weakly, but venomously. "Don't make things worse for yourself, girl. Don't think these two will be able to hide you from Suk-Chul—or that they'd even be willing to."

"It doesn't matter," Eun Min snapped back at her. "I'd rather die than stay here in this place another day." She picked up the hairpin from the floor and resolutely stabbed the guard in the shoulder with it. He sagged against the wall, all his strength gone as the drug's paralyzing effect went to work on his muscles.

"All I know is that the man who hired Suk-Chul to kidnap you was a very important man. He never got out of his palanquin and Suk-Chul never got in. They talked on the street quietly, but I think some of his men were in the military," Eun Min offered.

"Why do you think that?" Zuko asked curiously.

Eun Min looked down at the carpet in embarrassment as she answered, "Some of them came inside to us. One of them had a new tattoo on his shoulder—a military tattoo."

"Eun Min, be quiet! Don't tell them any more!" came a nervous voice from the group of girls.

"Do you want to come with us?" Jet asked Eun Min. "We can keep you safe."

"Give me a minute," she replied, then hurried out of the room.

Across the room, the giant began to stir. "Unless you think there's enough poison left on that pin to take this guy out again, we'd better get out of here," Zuko suggested.

"Eun Min! Come on!" Jet called up the stairs as they headed into the main hallway.

Eun Min came running down the stairs again, wearing a very plain tunic and skirt instead of the silky red and blue robe she'd been wearing. The elaborate flower decoration in her hair was also gone and she carried a small satchel.

They ran out into the street, Eun Min leading the way.

"Got any idea where we are?" Zuko asked as they put as much distance between themselves and the brothel/kidnapping hideout as they could.

"Not yet," Jet replied. "Eun Min, which way do we go to get back to the center of the city?"

"I don't know," she answered. "I was brought here in a closed carriage several months ago. I've only been out of the house a few times--once long enough to make a friend who might be able to help me now."

"Eun Min, we can keep you safe if you'll come with us," Zuko offered.

"I'm sure you could," she answered. "And that's what they think I'll do. But if they think I'm with you, they won't look for me where I'm really going." And with that, she began to walk away from them.

"Wait," Jet called to her. She stopped and he stepped forward, his bag of coins in his hand. "Take this," he said. "You'll need money."

She just stood there, so Jet reached out and took her hand, pressing the heavy bag into it. "If you get into trouble, go to the upper ring and send a message to Jet or Zuko," he instructed. At her doubtful look, he added, "We'll make sure the guards know to send it to us."

Eun Min shrugged, then stuck the money bag in her satchel and walked away, her back straight. Then she stopped and turned back to them. "Thank you," she said. Then she hurried away down a narrow alley.

"She should have come with us," Zuko said. "We could have made sure she was safe from those guys."

Jet just shrugged and winced a little as his head pounded. He knew where she was coming from. She'd made her break for it. The money in her pocket would give her the new start she deserved. He hoped she'd be okay out there. Then he looked around and headed out in the direction he thought was most promising.

As they walked, Jet grew more and more concerned about their apparent location. They were deep in the heart of a section of town he rarely visited—partially because he didn't have any business there, but mostly because he didn't want any business there.

It was beginning to get dark. He remembered that he'd invited Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak up to the upper ring for dinner. If he didn't get there before them to let the guard know they were coming, the guys would be turned back at the gate.

He didn't want to let them down, so he hurried just a bit faster, despite the fact that the exertion kicked his ever-present headache back up into high gear.

As they rounded a corner, he realized exactly where they were. The good news was that he knew how to get to the upper ring from there. The bad news was that a group of young toughs stepped out of the shadows to surround them.

"You guys in a hurry?" one of the fellows asked, spitting through a gap in his teeth.

"Yep, sure are," Jet responded, drawing his sword and dagger. The best defense was a good offense in this part of town. At his side, Zuko did the same.

"No need to run off," the fellow said, nodding at his gang members. Jet counted seven of them, all armed with short swords. He didn't expect that any of them had any formal training. These were street thugs—tough and merciless. They knew by looking at Jet and Zuko that they didn't belong in that part of town and believed they'd found a pair of soft, easy targets.

"Guys," Zuko began easily, "you need to just let us walk away. Save yourself some time and trouble."

"We don't mind a little time and trouble," the thug said, then closed in on Zuko with his short sword.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

In the topmost tier of the upper ring of the city, King Bumi watched as General Ji-Fu left his audience chamber. The general had come to discuss the timetable Bumi had set for turning the city over to the new king.

"Of course, I'm not saying I'll be the winner," Ji-Fu had stated easily, giving Bumi a disarming smile. "I just want to be prepared should that be the case." Then Ji-Fu had given him a very respectful bow before leaving the chambers.

Bumi watched him leave with a mixture of admiration for the man's cunning and disgust at his thinly disguised eagerness to take what he'd already claimed as his new place.

Ji-Fu certainly looked the part of king, Bumi had to admit. He was young to have reached such a position of prominence in the city—only having lived about a third of Bumi's 127 years.

Furthermore, Ji-Fu was well-mannered, distinguished, commanding—everything a king ought to be.

But Bumi didn't trust him as far as he could throw him and didn't want him anywhere near the throne of his city.

The one who could hear the earth was the one destined to rule Omashu. And if this young man Aang and Toph had found could hear the earth, he was the one. Everything else was just formality.

Unfortunately, no one else seemed to feel that way. Everyone—his generals, his advisors, the council—doubted the wisdom of placing an unknown, untried person on the throne of Omashu, based solely on an obscure earthbending ability.

Bumi knew they were wrong. The one who could hear the earth would become king, and Bumi seriously doubted Ji-Fu's ability to hear the earth.

There was certainly no doubt that Ji-Fu was a gifted earthbender—possibly the best in the city—if Bumi didn't consider himself—or young Toph, for that matter. And his advisors had been adamant that someone of the general's experience and abilities would be a much better choice for king than whatever young unknown Toph and Aang had managed to uncover.

In the end, Bumi had given in to their demands to allow Ji-Fu to participate and to their insistence on moving up the date of the contest. Besides, he was 127 and out of patience anyway. He had other things to do with his time than continue to be king of Omashu.

It didn't matter anyway. If this Jet person could truly hear the earth, destiny and the earth would take care of the rest.

As he exited the palace, General Ji-Fu was convinced that he made his own destiny. He would be the next king of Omashu.

He had carefully built the support he needed in the government, the military, and the city at large. Certainly he had his enemies, but there was no one in the city he couldn't defeat in a fair earthbending duel and once he proven his worth, no one would have the courage to stand against him.

Too bad he couldn't trust Bumi and the avatar to make sure the duel would be fair. After all, Bumi had tried to push Toph onto the throne weeks ago, despite announcements that the contest would be open to all comers.

Then Bumi had changed the rules again, declaring that the next king had to "hear the earth." Ji-Fu remained convinced that this was some trick to place a hand-picked successor on the throne.

All of Ji-Fu's research had led him to the conclusion that the ability was so mysterious and rare that it was more folklore than fact. However, he still felt confident in his ability to defeat any and all challengers in open combat and had managed to pull enough strings to get his name back in contention.

Just the same, the idea that the avatar had found some unknown ex-bandit who supposedly had the ability to do so did make him a little nervous. Ji-Fu took comfort in knowing that the city could be a very dangerous place for young Jet.

With a spring in his step, Ji-Fu crossed the courtyard outside the palace, the wind giving his green cape a little encouraging lift. In fact, it was very doubtful that Jet would even show up for the contest, he thought to himself with a secret smile.

Deep within the city, Jet and Zuko stood back to back, each fighting at least three opponents at the same time. Sure enough, the ruffians were untrained but savage—their fighting style reminding Jet of his own.

Before long, the two guys found themselves hard pressed to keep those blades at bay. Jet's headache was growing steadily worse and he sometimes saw six guys facing him instead of three as his vision blurred and doubled.

"Zuko," Jet said between strokes, "I know you want to be merciful and everything, but now is not the time to pull punches."

"I'm not pulling punches," Zuko retorted, giving one of the young toughs a hard slap on the ribs with the flat of one blade. "I'd just rather not kill them."

"I'm telling you that unless you want to fight all these guys by yourself," Jet continued, neatly scoring one of his attackers across the wrist with his dagger, "make quick work of them however you need to."

Before Zuko could ask for clarification, Jet suddenly stated, "I think I'm going to be sick."

And with that, Jet doubled over and threw up. Zuko decided survival was more important than discretion and called on his firebending abilities to send a blast of flame out around them, setting their attackers back on their heels and sending them running in panic.

"What's the matter?" Zuko asked as Jet shakily pulled himself together.

"Nothing," he replied.

"Don't lie to me," Zuko snapped. "What's wrong with you?" Jet wiped the blood from his dagger and put it away, then attempted to resheathe the black sword. He blinked several times at the scabbard as he tried to line it up with the blade.

Finally he got the blade to slip into place, only cutting himself a little in the process.

Then Jet began to walk down the street, but kept veering off to one side.

"What is wrong with you, Jet?" Zuko asked again.

"Just a headache, that's all," Jet replied. "I'm fine." They continued up the street until they reached a thoroughfare that was familiar to Zuko as well.

Despite Jet's repeated assurances that he was fine, Zuko had to keep pulling him back onto the sidewalk when he veered out into the street, and Jet threw up three more times before they finally reached the gates of the upper ring.

"Are Smellerbee, Longshot, and the guys here yet?" Jet asked the guard.

"I'm sorry, sir," the guard answered. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"The guys," Jet repeated. "Are they here yet?"

"I'm sorry, sir," the guard said again. "I don't know who you mean."

Zuko became aware that Jet wasn't exactly thinking straight when he began to yell angrily at the guard for not knowing what he was talking about.

"Master Jet isn't feeling well," Zuko interjected as he pulled Jet away from the confused guard. "We've invited some friends up for dinner tonight." Zuko gave the guard the guys' names, then added, "And be sure everyone knows to send up any messages from a young lady named Eun Min."

The guard made notes on all this and let the two in through the gates, Jet still muttering angrily under his breath that the guard should have known the guys.

"I mean, how many years were we all together?" he grumbled to himself. "I can't believe that guy didn't know who I was talking about." Then he began to veer off course again.

"This way, Jet," Zuko said gently, hoping to get his friend to Katara as quickly as possible.

"I know where I'm going, Zuko," Jet snapped. "I'm headed this way." He gestured to the side of a building.

"Hey, let's just stick together, okay?" Zuko tried to placate him. "Let me give you a hand."

"I don't need a hand," Jet replied peevishly.

Somehow Zuko managed to guide his short-tempered companion without seeming to guide him into the diplomatic compound. He headed toward Jet's apartments only to have Jet head across the courtyard toward Mai's place.

"Jet, you need to go home and lie down for a little while," Zuko tried to tell him. "See if that headache won't go away with some rest." And some judicious healing from Katara, he added to himself.

"No, I'm going to Mai's," Jet said firmly, pausing once to throw up in the bushes. He stopped at the fountain to wash his face and get a drink of water, then looked up at Zuko. "Man, my head hurts," he stated matter-of-factly. "Are my eyes bleeding?"

"No," Zuko answered cautiously.

"They feel like they're bleeding," Jet replied. Then he walked a few steps further toward Mai's apartments and collapsed in a heap on the ground.

"Katara!" Zuko could only yell as he hefted Jet over his shoulder and headed to the closest apartment—which happened to be Mai's.

Outside her window, Mai and Toph could hear Zuko's voice yelling for Katara. They went out to the balcony to see Zuko carrying Jet's unconscious body toward them. Toph, grateful for the stone steps beneath her feet, told Mai to stay put, then ran down the balcony stairs to the ground floor, throwing open the main door to the footman's surprise.

Zuko placed Jet on the nearest couch, then sent the footman to get Aang and Katara as fast as possible.

"What's wrong with him?" Toph asked.

"I don't know," Zuko replied. "Something's not right with his head though. He was complaining of a headache and I don't think he was seeing straight."

Mai came down the stairs as quickly as she could, then knelt beside the sofa. "What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"I don't know," Zuko repeated. "He said his head hurt."

Then Katara and Aang raced into the room. Katara knelt beside Mai, her waters immediately at the ready. "What happened?" she asked.

"It's a long story," Zuko began. "But I think it might have something to do with being knocked out downtown."

Katara peered beneath his eyelids and said, "This isn't good. Zuko, tell me exactly what happened to him."

Zuko briefly recounted the story of their kidnapping and escape—hoping Jet wouldn't mind too much that he'd broken confidence. They had, after all, mutually pledged never to speak of it again. He did, however, gloss over the fact that the kidnappers' hideout had been in a brothel. That was ground he didn't really want to cover.

However, just as Zuko was finishing his story, Jet opened his eyes and looked at Mai. "Mai, I gave your money to a prostitute. Please don't be mad," he stated evenly. Then before she could answer, his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out again.

Mai and Toph each darted sharp looks in Zuko's direction, but Katara just frowned.

"I told him to avoid blows to the head," Katara complained as she encircled his head with her waters. "Now as far as I can tell, he's bleeding between the skull and the brain."

"Can you heal it?" Mai asked nervously, her questions about the guys' whereabouts evaporating in the face of Katara's concerns.

"I don't know," Katara admitted. "I can feel the layer of blood, but it's hard to see through the bone to find the exact spot where he's bleeding—and I think there might be more than one."

"Aang?" Mai asked, now truly frightened.

"Let me see what I can find out," Aang said gently, then entered the avatar state. After a few minutes, he emerged and stated, "The only thing I can find out is that the bleeding has to be slowed or stopped so the blood can be reabsorbed. Otherwise, the pressure on the brain will grow and cause permanent damage--" he paused for a moment and looked at Mai and Katara sadly before adding, "--or death."

Mai shivered once, then looked up at Katara solemnly. "Do whatever you can, Katara," she said firmly. Then she stood and turned to her butler and the footman. "Take him upstairs and make him comfortable. Give Katara whatever she needs."

The two men carefully took Jet upstairs. But as Mai began to follow, Aang stopped her with a hand on her arm. "This is serious, Mai," he said plainly.

"I know," Mai replied calmly, then headed up the stairs.

Out in the city, Eun Min quietly approached the back door of the store where she hoped her friend was still working. It had been at least three months since she'd found her way there, having temporarily escaped the house in a trip to the markets.

She wasn't exactly sure where she was in the city because she'd had to retrace her steps from so long ago—Safflower, the madam, had taken her on a very roundabout path to the market, presumably to keep her from knowing exactly where she was. However, Safflower had not counted on Eun Min's excellent memory or determination.

She knocked quietly on the door several times, but no one answered. After several minutes, she'd decided her friend was not going to answer and began to consider which way to go from there. She couldn't stay on the streets by herself after dark. It was just too dangerous—plus, she knew Safflower and Suk-Chul would be looking for her.

Eun Min shivered, as much from fear as from the cool air as the sun began to go down. Suddenly, the back door opened and a tall young man about her age walked out of the shop carrying what appeared to be trash. She tried to hide as he tossed the garbage into a nearby bin, but as he turned to go back into the building, he saw her.

"Who's there?" he asked in a deep voice, then walked over toward her.

"I'm looking for Smellerbee," Eun Min replied, taking a chance that this young man was also a friend of Smellerbee's.

"She's inside," he replied. "Come in."

Eun Min shook her head. "That's okay," she answered. "Ask her if she remembers Eun Min. We met in her shop a few months ago."

The tall young man looked at her curiously, then went back inside. Within a minute, Smellerbee was out the door, looking around for her. As soon as she saw Eun Min, she ran to her. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I was so worried about you. I kept thinking you'd come back, but you never did."

Eun Min almost collapsed in relief that her friend really was a friend and not just someone who'd just pretended to be friendly to make a sale.

Soon, Smellerbee had coaxed her inside and sent Longshot and the young man she'd seen outside—The Duke, she was told—and another guest named Pipsqueak—whose name didn't fit him at all—were sent off to another part of the shop. Once they were alone, Eun Min told her briefly how she'd managed to escape the house, thanks to a pair of very good swordsmen.

They spent a few more minutes catching up, then Smellerbee informed her that she and the guys had been invited out to dinner with an old friend. Smellerbee immediately extended the invitation to her as well, but Eun Min declined.

"I wouldn't feel right just showing up at someone's house I didn't even know," she declared. "Besides, I don't want to go out in public right now. I'd be so afraid Suk-Chul or Hyun would see me and take me back there."

"You'll go back to that awful place over my dead body," Smellerbee stated firmly, taking her hand in a warm grasp to reinforce her sincerity. "Ever since you just took off that day when I knew you were in such terrible trouble, I haven't stopped worrying about you. You just stay put here. There's plenty to eat and there's plenty of room for you to settle in. In fact, there's a spare bedroll in the storeroom for you to use. I don't think its previous owner will be needing it anymore."

After showing Eun Min around, Smellerbee headed out with Longshot and the two other guests. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" she asked at the door.

"I'll be fine," Eun Min replied. "You have a good time tonight. I'm just going to get some rest."

Once they'd left, Eun Min went to the storeroom, unrolled the bedroll, and lay down to sleep, surrounded by the smell of leather and a quiet she hadn't known since she'd left the little village of her childhood. For the first time in nearly a year, ever since her mother died, Eun Min felt safe.

Grateful for her escape, she sent up a prayer of protection for the two men who'd rescued her, praying extra hard for the one who'd given her the money that would allow her to start over. Then Eun Min drifted off into an exhausted, but peaceful sleep.

With Zuko's help the servants settled the unconscious Jet onto the bed carefully. Mai followed them up the stairs and seated herself at his side, taking his hand in hers. Sitting with him this way felt familiar to her. After all, she'd been through a lot with Jet over the past few weeks.

Through all of it, she'd kept her confidence in her own self-sufficiency, her ability to roll with the punches. Now, for the first time, she was shaken.

Katara's face had told her in an instant how serious the situation was. And looking at Jet now, she could see a stillness in him that worried her.

When he'd been injured before, she'd been able to see life in him, fight in him. But this terrible unmoving stillness that held him now was different.

She was so afraid. So very afraid.

On the outside, she summoned every ounce of her self-confidence to put on a brave front. But on the inside, Mai could feel herself beginning to crumble.

Katara moved to the bedside again, and Mai made room for her to work. The circling blue waters moved around his head, but Mai couldn't see any sign of improvement.

"I've done what I can," Katara said at last. "We can only wait and hope that the bleeding stops."

Mai managed to nod in agreement, then sat down again at his side as Katara stepped away.

The room contracted around her until all she could see was Jet. She knew the others still stood in the background, watching and waiting as well. But they might as well have been a thousand miles away.

Tears began to well in her eyes, but she forced them back, refused to let them fall, refused to give in to the fear that gripped her. She had to be stronger than that. She had to be like earth to him—strong and unyielding, unwilling to release him.

She held his hand tightly in both of hers. She could feel the wide band of the meteor ring cool against her skin. Jet had said the ring let him see her. So she bent down to press her forehead against it, willing it to tell him she was there, that she wouldn't leave his side.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Katara stood behind Mai feeling utterly helpless. She'd done all she could. Now all they could do was wait and hope.

Across the room she could see Aang, Toph, and Zuko standing quietly, watching in concern. The scene seemed like an eerie replay of the day before as they all stood around in nearly the same places.

But they all knew this waiting was different. By the time Mai had been brought upstairs, the big scare had been over.

This time fear hung heavy in the air.

Katara patted Mai on the shoulder and walked to the door, taking Aang's hand as she went past him to pull him with her into the hallway.

"How is he?" Aang asked.

"It's not good," she replied with a heavy sigh. "I just wish there was more I could do."

"I know," Aang said, putting an arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him for comfort.

In the room, Toph and Zuko stood, hand in hand, and watched as Mai carefully adjusted the coverlet across Jet's shoulders. Her hand shook a little.

"I hate this," Zuko said grimly. "I hate not being able to do something. I had no idea anything so serious was going on with him," he continued quietly.

"What could you have done if you'd known, Sparky?" Toph asked reasonably. "You got him back here as quickly as you could."

Zuko just shrugged. "I'm going to see what Katara has to say," he stated. Then giving his wife a kiss, he stepped into the hallway.

However, he hadn't even had the chance to speak to Katara when steps on the stairwell signaled the approach of Sokka and Suki. "We came as fast as we could," Sokka began, then paused as he took in the serious faces of the crew. "What's going on?" he asked.

Quietly Zuko filled him in on the events of the day.

"So, just heal him Katara," Sokka stated. "You heal bleeding all the time."

"It's not that easy, Sokka," Katara responded. "The skull is like a barrier—I can't feel through it like I can normal flesh. I can tell there's bleeding going on, but I can't see it well enough to really work on it."

Sokka just looked at her in typical doubting brother fashion, and she continued defensively, "Blood bending is a lot like trying to bend muddy water. There's only so much coaxing and encouraging I can do unless I can really see what I'm doing. That's the reason I use pure water when I heal. It helps me see the details."

Then Katara sighed and leaned back against Aang before adding, "Trying to see through the skull is very hard. I can get only a little sense of what's beneath it. It's like trying to bend water that's underground." As she spoke, she remembered the first time she'd tried to bend water she couldn't see. That had been for Jet too—only under much less positive circumstances.

Apparently satisfied with her answer, Sokka turned to Aang. "Okay, then, Aang—you do it. Avatar state, yip, yip," he said, but though his words were light, his face was serious.

Aang knew Sokka didn't mean to be flippant. Mr. Problem Solver was just attacking the problem head-on in typical Sokka fashion. Sometimes that approach generated useful ideas, so Aang answered patiently.

"The avatar state does not mean I am all powerful," Aang began. "I have access to the knowledge and abilities of all the previous avatars, but unless it involves straight bending of the elements, for me to use that knowledge I still have to understand what I'm trying to accomplish."

The others looked at him expectantly. "Katara will tell you. I spend hours each day in meditation, trying to learn everything I can about being avatar from the previous avatars. Unfortunately, none of them ever seemed to have much time for advanced medicine or art or music or literature," he sighed.

"Most of my work is in mediating disputes between the nations or judging difficult cases or trying to make new treaties between cities and regions," he continued. "I spend all of the time I can learning from my past lives--learning history and laws and customs so I can make better decisions."

Aang passed a weary hand over his brow. He felt Katara put a comforting arm around him. After all, she knew the kinds of things he was asked to do—things that were just beyond his abilities.

Stop a plague, keep a typhoon from flooding a region, make it rain on drought-stricken crops.

Keep a sick loved one from dying.

Sometimes he could help, but sometimes what he was asked to do was just beyond him. Even when the job dealt strictly with the elements, sometimes it was beyond him. After all, Avatar Roku had been killed trying to combat the elements.

And the human body was a mysterious and difficult mix of all the elements. Maybe if he had a lifetime, he could learn to separate the elements that made flesh, blood, bone, and nerve. Then maybe he could heal catastrophic injuries or cure disease. Maybe he could stop the people he cared about from dying.

Maybe in the next lifetime, he thought with a resigned sigh.

A servant came up the stairs and announced, "A party of guests has arrived from the city."

"The guys are here," Zuko said in realization. "I better go down and tell them what's going on," he added, then headed downstairs.

Just then a call from inside Mai's room sent the group hurrying through the doorway, Katara leading the way.

"Hey," came a voice from the bed. It was weak, but it was Jet's. Against the odds, he was awake.

Mai looked up at her, carefully guarded hope in her eyes.

Katara swirled her waters around him, her eyes closed in concentration. She simply had to be able to see what was going on inside that thick skull of his.

With relief, she could tell that the bleeding seemed to have stopped and the pressure was beginning to go down in his head. Maybe something she did had helped, maybe his body had just sealed the wound on its own.

Her previous examinations had uncovered signs that this wasn't the first time he'd had this kind of bleed. But as far as she could tell, he'd never had one this bad before. It seemed to her that he'd gotten lucky again.

She looked down at him and permitted herself to smile. "I don't know how you managed to do it, but you're actually getting better," she said.

Around the room came exclamations of relief. "But you do not leave this spot until I say you can," Katara added firmly. "You stay put until I know you're out of danger."

"But the guys are coming for dinner," Jet said weakly and actually tried to get up.

"The guys are already here and will come up to see you shortly," Katara stated as she put a firm hand on his shoulder to keep him in place. "You, however, are not moving until I say so."

Once she had Mai's assurance that she would not let Jet budge an inch until permitted, Katara sent the rest of the crew downstairs, but stopped a few minutes outside in the hallway to talk with Aang. She paused to allow a pair of serving girls to pass, then looked up at her husband, her blue eyes dark with concern.

"You know that if that bleeding hadn't stopped, Jet would be in serious trouble," she began.

Aang nodded. "I think you must have helped him somehow," he said reassuringly.

Katara just shook her head. "Maybe I helped disburse the blood that had already collected," she said, "but the bleeding stopped on its own. I never could tell where it was coming from to heal it."

"But he's on the mend now," Aang continued, ever the optimist. "You said he was getting better."

"He's on the mend for now," Katara returned, stressing the idea of 'for now.' "But he absolutely can't take another blow to the head like that. If that bleed opens up again and doesn't stop on its own, he could die."

"Okay, so he has to take it easy for a while," Aang agreed.

Katara looked at him squarely. "He's has to face a master earthbender in a matter of days," she observed. "How is he supposed to take it easy?"

Aang looked down in thought. "I'll have a word with Bumi," he offered, looking back at her again. "Surely the contest can be rescheduled."

"I hope so," Katara said as they headed downstairs to say hi to Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak. "Otherwise, Jet will be risking his life for this."

Downstairs, Zuko had already begun the process of shifting the dinner gathering from Mai's apartments to his and Toph's.

"But before we head over, Jet will definitely want to see you guys for a minute," he announced as Katara and Aang walked into the sitting room.

"But only for a minute," Katara instructed firmly. "And he can't get up—no matter what he says."

They visited for a few moments, Jet insisting that they come back the next night for dinner at his place. "I swear I'll be up and around no problem by then," he declared firmly.

"Sounds good to me," The Duke said.

"I have a friend visiting for a while," Smellerbee began.

"Bring 'em along," Jet replied expansively. "The more the merrier."

Smellerbee grinned gratefully and the guys made their way downstairs and over to Zuko and Toph's place. Katara stayed a few moments, then made her way back over to Mai's apartments. "I need to be around just in case," she explained. Jet's devil-may-care attitude had worried her a bit. She was a little concerned that he still wasn't 100 percent himself.

The visit went well, and it was well after dark when Aang returned to Mai's place to check in with Katara and Mai. The household was quiet and still as a servant escorted him up the darkened stairs to the bedroom.

After a quiet knock, Katara opened the door. Aang looked across the dark room to see Jet stretched out across Mai's bed, apparently sound asleep. Mai sat in a chair by his side, holding his hand in hers. He noticed that she frequently caressed the wide band of his meteor ring with her fingertip.

"How's he doing?" he asked Katara quietly.

She stepped with him out into the hallway before answering. "Sleeping normally, I'd say," she began. "The pressure has really gone down fast. Once the bleeding stopped, it disbursed well. I don't think there's going to be any lasting damage from this episode."

"This episode?" Aang half asked.

"Aang, if he fights this super bender in a couple of days, we're only asking for a repeat of this," Katara stated firmly. "There's no way he can get through something as rough as an earthbending match without some jarring or impact bad enough to start him bleeding again. Plus, there are at least two other places that are just as vulnerable to injury—they might have also been bleeding this time as well."

Katara looked over at Jet with a mixture of frustration and worry. "He's just had too many blows to the head over the years. Those old injuries have healed and been re-injured too many times." She looked at Aang and spoke quietly but seriously as she said, "Maybe those places will eventually heal up completely. But I am afraid that this won't be the case. Aang, one of these days, a hard blow to the head will probably kill him."

Aang looked at her solemnly. "Is there anything you can do to help those places heal up better?" he asked.

"Like I told Sokka, unless I can really see it with waterbending, I can't do very much detail work," she sighed. Then she wiped her face with her hands. "I don't want to tell Mai," she whispered.

"Then don't," he said. "I'll talk to Jet tomorrow myself. Plus, I'll go see Bumi. He's got to let us put this off—at least until Jet is well enough to compete."

The next day, however, he found Jet to be the most vocal opposition to the reschedule. They sat in the courtyard on the spectator stands of the bending practice ground watching Zuko and Sokka spar. "I will be fine," Jet repeated firmly. "I feel great and I'll be really, really careful."

"How can you say that?" Aang asked incredulously. "Do you have any idea what kind of earthbender you're going to be facing?"

"Sure," Jet declared easily. "I've seen General Ji-Fu in exhibition before. He generally participates in the big New Year's festivities every year. He's pretty good."

"He's probably the best earthbender in this part of the entire earth kingdom," Aang retorted.

"Yeah, but I've been fighting Toph and she's the best earthbender the world has ever seen," Jet replied merrily. "I've got no worries about this guy."

Aang just shook his head and decided to address Bumi next.

Bumi, however, felt much the same way. "Aang, you worry too much," the old king said, offering him a snack from the appetizer tray a servant had brought up. Aang looked at the tray to see the same squishy looking pieces of slime Hu had offered him in the swamp. He politely declined.

"Are you sure?" Bumi asked, popping one of the bigger ones into his mouth. "Hu sent these along fresh. They're really yummy."

Aang shook his head again and pressed Bumi for a reschedule, but Bumi refused adamantly. "No, Aang, the date is set. Besides, if your young man can hear the earth, he's destined to win," Bumi explained patiently.

"Winning is not what I'm concerned about," Aang replied. "If Jet takes a hard knock on the head right now, he could die. That could happen whether he wins or loses."

"Have faith in destiny," Bumi answered. "I do." And with a huge grin, he tossed another piece of slime into his mouth.

Between Jet's total lack of concern and Bumi's serene confidence in the power of destiny, Aang felt completely frustrated. Maybe Mai would be able to get through to Jet, he decided.

However, Mai was approached by someone else first.

Jet had left her place that morning in good spirits after assuring her that he felt completely fine. "I'm just going to go watch Sokka and Zuko fight, then I need to be sure everything is ready for the guys to come over. Do you want to come help me plan for tonight? I've never hosted a dinner before," he admitted with a grin.

"Of course I will," she replied, and since the house staff was around, she gave him his goodbye kiss on the cheek. "Just don't get drawn into the match yourself," she added firmly. "You know what Katara said about taking it easy."

Once he was safely seated on the benches with Aang, Mai headed out of the diplomatic compound for a meeting with King Bumi's advisors. Katara had also warned her to take it easy as well, but she had one piece of official business she wanted to get cleared up quickly.

Experience had taught her that the best way to get the advisors to address an issue was to meet them personally. The crazy old men never moved fast on anything without a little good-natured pressure from her. Sometimes she thought they just liked to have her come visit them.

At any rate, a short meeting with the old gentlemen accomplished her goals, and she walked back across the broad courtyard that lay between the palace and the diplomatic compound.

However, her morning's efforts had tired her more than she realized and she stopped to rest for a moment at the huge fountain. The sun shone down brightly around her and when the wind was still, it was fairly warm. The sound of falling water behind her was very soothing.

Suddenly, her instincts warned her she was not alone just as she heard a sound behind her.

"Mai," came a smooth, cultured voice she recognized at once, "fancy meeting you here."

"General," she replied evenly as General Ji-Fu strode around the fountain toward her, his face friendly as always.

"I hear you've had a number of adventures of late," he said innocently, taking a seat next to her.

"No more than usual," she replied as she stood to take her leave of him.

"No, no," he said firmly, patting the seat with a smile, "stay a moment. We need to talk."

Mai sat down, a little further from him than she'd been. She did not like Ji-Fu, she did not trust Ji-Fu, but she knew better than to walk away. Ji-Fu was the kind of person who liked to tell his enemies exactly what he was planning to do, then proceed to do it, despite their best efforts to stop him. Forewarned was forearmed in her book.

"I believe you've made a very good friend of late," Ji-Fu began pleasantly. "From what I've heard, he seems like a nice young man. He's got a bit of a past, perhaps, but we all have our secrets, don't we?" He gave her a little conspiratorial look that turned her stomach.

"However, I'm not convinced that he's the right kind of person to be king of Omashu," Ji-Fu continued smoothly. "And as you know, the advisors and the trade council have been very firm in their requests that I make myself available for consideration."

"Where are you going with all this, Ji-Fu?" Mai asked bluntly, already tired of dealing with the man.

"Just here," Ji-Fu's voice took on a harder edge. "This Jet does not have what it takes to be king. He's not the bender he needs to be. He does not have the experience he needs. He does not have the background he needs. It would be better for him to realize this now and walk away than risk hurting himself in open duel against me."

"What makes you think he'd hurt himself?" she asked evenly. "This is a duel, not combat to the death."

"I know that he was brought into your residence unconscious late yesterday afternoon. I know that the avatar's wife stayed the night there as well," Ji-Fu stated, false concern coloring his tones.

Mai just looked at him in disbelief as she realized that someone in her household was passing information to Ji-Fu—or to someone who reported to him. The man had spies everywhere. It made her sick to know he had a contact inside her own house.

"I am very concerned that this match might be too much for him in his current state of health," Ji-Fu continued, his voice solemn. "I believe he's been told to take care of himself. It would be a shame if something tragic happened to him because he was foolhardy enough to face me when he should just walk away."

"Is this a threat?" Mai asked, a little cold edge to her voice.

"No, my dear Mai," Ji-Fu said with a laugh as he rose to go. "It's just an observation." Then he gave her a very polite bow and walked off in the direction of the palace.

She watched as Ji-Fu headed back toward the palace, his step confident.

Once she'd calmed down, she headed straight to confront Katara. She found her in the gardens of the courtyard, watching little Bumi climb on a very relaxed Appa. "Tell me, Katara," she began without preamble.

"Tell you what?" Katara asked as Mai sat on the bench next to her.

"About Jet. How bad was it really?" she asked. "He says he's fine. Is he?"

Katara looked away to watch Bumi climb over one of Appa's huge feet, rolling off onto the ground on the other side with a laugh. Then she faced Mai directly. "Jet does not need to take another blow to the head right now. It's a wonder the bleed he had last night sealed itself and responded so well to the healing I was able to do. Another one right now might not do that."

Mai sat quietly for a moment as she considered Katara's words, then said, "So basically, if he's not careful, it could happen again."

"Yes," Katara agreed sadly. "And the next time could very possibly kill him."

Bumi giggled and climbed back across Appa, who gave a little grunting sigh of contentment. Across the courtyard, the fountain bubbled quietly. The sun was bright overhead, sending little rays of warmth through the trees.

But then a chilly wind began to blow against them, sending a few brightly colored fall leaves tumbling to the ground. The breeze was cool enough to send a chill across Mai's skin and she shivered as a golden leaf fell into her lap.

She looked up at the bright blue sky, blinking back the sudden tears that sprang to her eyes.

She understood what Ji-Fu had been trying to tell her. If Jet fought him, he could die.

It wasn't worth it, she decided. The entire city of Omashu wasn't worth Jet's life.

Mai knew what he'd say, but decided it didn't matter. If he truly loved her, he wouldn't do it. He'd just have to walk away.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

(Caution: Steaminess ahead—this is definitely T rated.)

Zuko was worried.

Well, not precisely worried, he thought. Concerned was more like it.

First of all, Toph had not been herself all morning. The usually unflappable, confident woman he knew so well had been replaced by a moody, preoccupied mother-to-be.

She'd been exhausted the night before once their company from downtown had departed, but hadn't slept well, tossing and turning and talking in her sleep. Then upon rising that morning, she'd been edgy and nervous.

Zuko had gently tried to find out what was bothering her, but she'd simply declared that she was tired. He knew better than to push it. Toph was not a morning person in the best of times.

When she went out to visit with Suki and Katara, he'd headed outside to spar with Sokka, surprised to see Jet join them in the stands. He'd figured after all Jet had been through, he'd sleep in at least one morning. Zuko was glad to see Jet taking it easy for once as he lounged in the stands with Aang.

Aang left after a while, leaving Jet as their only spectator. Once they were finished, the three men sat together for a while and critiqued each other goodnaturedly, Sokka taking the brunt of the commentary. After a while, he threw up his hands in defeat to head off to find Suki.

"Maybe she'll go easier on me than you guys," Sokka laughed as he stood, stretching out the kinks that had begun to settle in his muscles.

"I wouldn't count on it," Zuko responded. "Suki has very high expectations."

Jet just laughed at him.

Sokka headed back out to the apartments he shared with Suki as Jet continued to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Zuko finally asked.

"Nothing," Jet answered. "Everything. I don't know." He actually giggled a little. "Everything just seems really funny this morning."

Zuko stretched out his stiff left leg and rubbing the muscle. It was coming along, but he hadn't gotten 100 percent of the function back in it after Katara had removed so much damaged tissue. Jet just lounged around as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"I'd think you were at least a little bit concerned that you have to fight Ji-Fu in a couple of days," Zuko stated after a few moments of rubbing.

"Nah," Jet commented dismissively as he played with a piece of tall grass he plucked from beside the stands. "I've got destiny on my side."

"I thought you didn't believe in destiny," Zuko replied suspiciously.

"I didn't. But this morning somehow it all seems clear to me," Jet answered, flashing Zuko a bright, confident grin. "I think I dreamed about it or something. It's my destiny to win, Sparky."

"Only Toph calls me Sparky," Zuko reminded him firmly.

But Jet just laughed and clapped him on the shoulder before jumping to his feet. "Okay, okay," he said, giving in to Zuko's glare. "Mai went up to the palace to take care of some business. If you see her, tell her I'm at my place. We're going to plan a huge dinner for tonight. You guys be sure to come."

"Sure we will," Zuko answered. "Just let Toph know this afternoon what time when you guys have practice."

"I don't need to practice," Jet stated easily. "It's in the bag. Ji-Fu is going down."

Zuko stood up to look his friend directly in the eye. "Do have any idea how naive you sound?" he asked point blank.

"I'm not naive," Jet retorted a little sharply. "I just know what's going to happen. It's destiny."

"What about all this head injury business Katara has been talking about?" Zuko asked. "Toph told me last night that a rough earthbending match right now could kill you." Zuko hated to bring up something so negative, but he was beginning to get concerned about Jet's attitude.

"Big deal," Jet answered blithely. "I just know it's all going to be okay. I'm going to fight Ji-Fu and I'm going to win. It's my destiny to be king of Omashu. That's the important thing."

Jet's response convinced him that his friend was not himself—not at all. It was time to move from concern to outright worry. "How are you going to be king if you're dead?" Zuko had to ask.

"You worry too much," Jet said with a laugh, patting the Fire Prince on his shoulder. Then he stuck the stalk of grass between his teeth and headed off to his apartments with an unshakable confidence in his step.

Zuko just shook his head and went to find Katara. Whatever she'd healed inside that boy's head, she hadn't quite finished the job.

Meanwhile, Zuko was not the only person worried about Jet. After a long, miserable night of dreams, Toph had awoken more tired than when she went to bed.

Her dreams had taken her back to the swamp where Lady Lian Shen berated her. "How could you do it, Toph?" Lian Shen had asked. "You picked the first person you saw and made him an earthbender, didn't you? And now earthbending will kill him."

Then Lian Shen gave her a malicious sidelong glance and added, "That makes you a murderer, Toph. You were just trying to get out of your own responsibilities. You didn't care what might happen to Jet, did you?"

"No!" Toph tried to reply, but her replies faded away into an empty swamp where she couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't breathe.

She called for Zuko, but got no answer. She called for Jet and he suddenly appeared beside her. "Jet, help me!" she begged in her dreams, but Jet just turned away from her sadly.

"I can't," he answered. "I have to go now. I wish you guys hadn't found me. I wish I was still in the swamp."

Then she'd awaken with a start to find Zuko sleeping soundly beside her, his body warm and inviting. She'd snuggle closer to him, hoping to drift into a more peaceful sleep, but before long, uneasy dreams would disturb her again.

Morning seemed very long in coming.

Across town, yet another person thought about Jet and wondered how he was doing. Eun Min had spent the morning with Smellerbee, glad to help out with whatever tasks needed doing. It felt so good to just be normal again.

"We're all going out for dinner tonight with some friends of mine," Smellerbee said over the breakfast dishes.

"Out again?" Eun Min replied. "Well, you guys enjoy yourselves."

"This time, you're coming along too," Smellerbee responded firmly as she passed a wet dish over for Eun Min to dry.

"I don't think I should," Eun Min answered doubtfully as she rubbed at the dish with a towel. "What if Hyun or Safflower should see me?"

"How in the world do you think they'll be able to spot you in the middle of this crowd?" Smellerbee asked, gesturing across the little room to where the guys sat around Longshot's worktable. "I mean, Pipsqueak and The Duke are big enough to hide both of us from view!"

Eun Min couldn't help but laugh. Then she cast a shy glance over at the tall Watertribesman. Who wasn't really a Watertribesman at all, she recalled. He'd been adopted into the tribe. The Duke had gotten his new start after years on his own, Smellerbee had told her. Eun Min wanted her new start too.

The Duke was maybe two or three years older than her, she thought as she dried the dish in her hands. She looked over to where he sat in one of Smellerbee's small kitchen chairs, talking to Longshot and the gigantic Pipsqueak.

Eun Min liked him. He was so friendly. She liked the way his dark hair curled, a bit on the unruly side. She liked his easy smile. She liked the fact that he made her feel so little when she stood anywhere near him. He was lean, but so tall. Something about him reminded her of her father.

"I think it's dry," Smellerbee offered with a teasing grin. She'd noticed where Eun Min was looking.

Eun Min dropped her head to hide her blush and placed the dish on the shelf, then reached out to take the wet cup Smellerbee held out to her.

They dried in silence for a few moments, then Eun Min looked up at Smellerbee, worry on her face, and asked, "Does The Duke know about me?"

"Know what?" Smellerbee asked.

"Know what I was," Eun Min answered shamefully.

Smellerbee looked at her straightforwardly. "No, he doesn't," she answered gently. "Only Longshot knows because I told him about you when we first met. He knows how concerned I was about you. But Longshot isn't going to say anything and neither am I."

Eun Min sighed in relief, then Smellerbee continued, "That part of your life is over, Eun Min. You were forced into it. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Then Smellerbee took her hand in hers and added, "But eventually you'll have to deal with it and put it behind you."

Eun Min nodded, and they resumed doing the dishes, but inwardly she didn't feel up to dealing with it. She just wanted to pretend it never happened. And she glanced across the room again at The Duke. He was listening intently to some story Pipsqueak told in that deep, slow voice of his.

Even more than she wanted to forget for herself, she didn't want The Duke to know about her. She didn't want him to know she'd been a prostitute. She didn't want him to know how many men she'd been with. The shameful things she'd done.

Right now, he looked at her with respect, with friendliness. She didn't want to see disgust in his eyes. After all, it was hard enough to handle the disgust she saw in her own eyes when she looked in the mirror.

Then she thought of the young men who'd rescued her. She remembered the one with the black sword who'd given her the money—Jet. He hadn't looked at her with disgust. He'd looked at her with understanding instead. He'd know what she was and had helped her. She hoped he was okay. She hoped his life would be happy and that the spirits would reward him for being so kind to her.

She carefully dried the pitcher Smellerbee passed to her, then reached up on her tiptoes to put it away on the high shelf.

Just then The Duke came up behind her to take the pitcher from her hand with a smile. "I got this one, short stuff," he teased.

"Short stuff?" she asked.

"Would you prefer something else?" he asked. "Maybe Little Bit?"

"I'm not that short," she retorted happily.

Smellerbee watched the two young people banter and smiled. The Duke was a good guy. He'd give Eun Min the kind of attention that would be good for her. Then she thought ahead to the dinner planned for the evening. Jet and the rest of the group would be good for her too. It would be good for Eun Min to get out and meet new people.

Jet sat in the office in his apartments, daydreaming. He couldn't shake the dreams that he'd had the night before. He kept remembering the swamp. There was some woman there, a beautiful woman—but green. She kept whispering to him about his destiny. Something about her made him believe.

A little part of him knew that under normal circumstances he wouldn't believe a word of it. Destiny was for great people. People with some birth and nobility. People with powers he couldn't begin to fathom. People like Aang and Zuko and Mai.

But that part of him was oddly silent today. If he were completely honest with himself, he'd say he felt a little bit drunk—like his inhibitions had been sidetracked. It was so easy to just say things and do things and feel things and believe in things.

Believe in things like destiny. The green lady had told him it was his destiny to rule Omashu because he could hear the earth. She'd cradled his head in her lap and made him believe nothing bad could happen to him. It was all going to work out perfectly.

That little sober, suspicious part of him tried to shout that nothing ever worked out perfectly for him, but its quiet voice was easily subdued by the part of him that could do anything.

The suspicious part tried to tell him that he wasn't thinking clearly anymore, but in his present state, Jet just happily ignored it.

Who cared? Everything was going to work out just perfectly. For once. Even dinner.

Across the courtyard, Mai told Katara she would see her later then headed directly to Jet's place. The footman showed her to the office on the second floor where Jet sat at the desk, apparently daydreaming.

"Hey there," he said brightly when she came to the door. "I hope you know all about dinners because I'm completely at a loss here."

They spent a few minutes discussing the dinner menu before she asked, "Are you determined to fight Ji-Fu?"

Jet looked at her. "I have to," he replied with happy confidence. "I've spent the whole morning thinking about what he'd do as king. He's a complete jerk."

Mai looked at him in disbelief. "Jerk?" she echoed. "Ji-Fu is more than a jerk. He's a dangerous earthbender, a trained general, and a ruthless enemy. He wants the throne, Jet," she added solemnly. "I think he'll do anything to get it."

Jet just listened to her complaisantly, totally ignoring her evaluation of Ji-Fu. How could she make him understand? Mai wondered.

"Jet, I think he'll kill you in combat if he gets the chance," she said in all seriousness.

But Jet just laughed and pulled her into his lap to plant a big kiss on her cheek. "Don't worry about me, sugar," he said with a grin. "I've got this all under control."

Mai looked at him sternly. "I talked to Katara, Jet. She told me just how serious that head injury of yours is. She said if you take another rough hit, it could start bleeding again. And this time it might not stop. You could die."

Jet waved away her concerns. "That's not going to happen."

"How can you know this?" she asked sharply. What was wrong with him? He was acting like he didn't even care.

"I just do," he answered breezily. "Now let's talk about something else, okay? I don't want you worrying about something so silly."

Silly? She almost screamed the word out loud, but thought better of it. How could concern over Jet's life be silly? After all, hadn't she nearly died only a few days ago trying to save his life?

She decided to try another tactic. If reason wouldn't make him back down, maybe love would do the trick.

So she settled against him more closely and reached up to run her fingers into his hair. "Okay," she acquiesced—at least outwardly. "Let's talk about something else," she began. Then she bent her head to his and placed a soft, insistent kiss on his lips. "Unless you can think of something you'd rather do than talk?"

Then she ran a suggestive finger into the open collar of his tunic, softly following the line of his collarbone with her fingertip.

"Just what did you have in mind?" Jet asked playfully, running his hand down her back, his fingers gliding easily over the silk of her tunic.

"I don't know," Mai responded with mock hesitation. "We haven't had a chance to be alone like this in a long time." She slipped her hand into his shirt, this time running her palm over his chest and up his neck to his cheek. Then she kissed him again, enjoying the feel of him.

She could feel his body stir against her. He put both arms around her tightly and pulled her into him even more closely. Then he kissed the hollow of her throat and pulled aside her dress to kiss her shoulder. She couldn't help but sigh at the feel of his lips on her skin—so warm, so passionate.

All the restraint he'd ever shown before had seemingly evaporated, she realized breathlessly as he ran his hand across her breast and tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling it free of its combs to fall like a curtain of black silk around her shoulders. Then he kissed her with a desperation and longing that took her by surprise.

Before she could catch her breath, he'd stood up with her in his arms and crossed to the long, dark green sofa that ran along one wall of the office. He laid her back onto the cushions and knelt over her.

At first he only looked at her, his dark green eyes smoldering with desire. Then he kissed her again, following the line of her cheek and throat with his lips. She could feel his free hand slip beneath the lower edge of her tunic, warmly caressing her waist.

This wasn't like him, she realized even as she shivered at his touch. He began to pull at the closures that held her tunic together.

Part of her wanted this. Part of her wanted it very badly.

Part of her knew that once she had him at the edge of desire, she could beg him not to fight Ji-Fu and he would agree. He would do it for her. He would agree so she would be happy, so she would be with him.

She felt her tunic fall open, leaving the thin linen of her undergarment all that stood between her body and Jet's exploring hands and mouth. He pulled at the tie at her neck, intent on removing the last barrier between them.

Oh, part of her wanted this very badly.

Then out of nowhere came a memory. Another time on a long sofa. Another time that she'd wanted so badly to be with someone. And for reasons just as manipulative as now.

Back when they were young, on a long sofa in the Fire Nation Capital, she'd tried to bind Zuko to her in the same way, to exchange her body for promises.

It hadn't been a difficult decision for either of them. Both had something to prove to themselves.  
Zuko wanted to prove he was his own man—that doing whatever he wanted was the right thing to do. And she wanted to prove that she had something no one else could have—Zuko.

So they'd crossed the line. She'd given him her virginity and had taken his. She'd thought that meant he would always be hers.

But even after all that, Zuko had still left her.

She'd been heartbroken—but more than that, she'd been furious. She'd tried to hold him, but he'd chosen to leave her behind for a future she couldn't understand at the time.

Months later at the Boiling Rock, she'd begun to understand why he'd gone to the other side. When she was faced with her own choice, she'd also done what she knew was right by saving his life.

Once back in the capital after the war was over, she thought they would just pick up where they left off. But it hadn't happened. Something deep had changed in Zuko and in her. They hadn't been together that way again. A new sense of honor prevented it.

Sudden sensation broke through her memories as Jet pulled away her undergarment. Mai gasped and ran her hands into his hair as the tip of his tongue toyed with her breast. For a moment, she felt like she was back there in the capital, a teenager again, determined to get her way. Then she opened her eyes and looked at the man she was with, really looked at him.

This wasn't Zuko, her fantasy boyfriend from the time she was seven. And she was no longer an angry teenager determined to possess her girlhood crush, no matter what.

This was Jet. Jet wasn't someone she wanted to control, to possess. He wasn't a trophy for her ego.

She loved him. She wanted to be his wife, his partner. But in a rush of guilt she knew she wasn't acting like a partner. She'd started all this in an effort to use his attraction to her as a tool to get her own way, to manipulate him.

But Jet had always been so careful not to let things go this far. She couldn't do this to him. She couldn't let their first time together be under false pretenses.

She wanted to love him with everything she had—her mind, her heart—and her body. But he had always been such a gentleman, so concerned with her honor, with respecting her. Something about all this just didn't feel right.

"Jet," she whispered, "stop."

"Why?" he replied as he tugged at the waistband of her skirt. His hand ran beneath it to caress the bare skin of her hip.

It took all the control Mai had to push Jet away from her. "This isn't right and you know it," she stated, her voice shaking a little. "We don't need to do this. Not now."

The hurt look in his eyes almost stopped her protest. She never wanted to hurt him. She felt more guilty than ever.

Then a look of understanding crossed his face. "You're shy, aren't you? This is your first time," he assumed sympathetically. Then he sat up and pulled her to sit in his lap again.

Mai didn't quite know what to say. She hadn't considered the fact that she'd have to tell him she wasn't. Guilt rolled over her once again.

"It's okay," Jet said with understanding. Then he lay on his back, pulling her down onto his chest so that she lay on top of him.

"It's my first time too," he confided softly. "Be gentle with me."


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Jet looked up at Mai, all sincerity. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable, but she definitely looked uncomfortable.

That go with the flow part of him that seemed so strong was still eager to keep playing. He was more than willing at one level for his first time all the way to be right then, right there.

But that other more logical part of him was not completely dormant. The bruising and swelling on his brain had not crippled all his inhibitions, just loosened them up a bit. Now, as he looked at Mai those sluggish inhibitions called for him to think again about what he was doing.

He couldn't let her first time be on a couch. It wasn't right. Plus, if they did this, now, just like this—he had to work very hard to continue to think because the just like this was so appealing—what about when he married her? What would be left to make that night the special time he wanted it to be?

After all, they'd slept together plenty of times back in the cave. He remembered how good it had felt to fall asleep with her in his arms close to him.

He gazed at her. Those beautiful red lips were trembling. Her clear gray eyes looked sad. He couldn't stand that. Everything had to be perfect for Mai. She was so perfect. He didn't deserve her.

The more sane, healthy part of himself applauded inwardly as he forced himself to sit up. Then as Mai pulled her clothing back around her, he stood and paced the room a moment. How to begin to apologize? He felt absolutely awful.

Mai watched Jet pace back and forth, mumbling to himself a little. He looked distraught, emotionally on edge. This was not like him. He was definitely not himself. Her Jet was always so in control of himself and his actions.

At last he knelt before her and said, "I'm sorry, sugar. I just got carried away, I guess. It's kind of hard to think right now."

"I'm the one who's sorry," Mai answered, reaching out to cup his cheek with her hand. Something in his eyes looked so young, so vulnerable. She hated herself for not seeing it sooner.

"Come sit with me," she added, patting the seat beside her.

He did. Then after a moment he yawned. She pulled him down so his head lay in her lap. He threw his arm across her and made himself comfortable.

Mai sat there with Jet, deep in thought. She simply could not believe someone of Jet's looks, temperament, and history was a virgin at nearly thirty years old. It boggled the mind.

She started not to say anything to him about it, knowing that he wasn't himself for some reason. She started to just drag him off for Katara to take another look at him. But curiosity got the best of her and she asked, "You were just teasing me, right?"

"No," Jet answered honestly. She was glad he was facing away from her, lying on his side. The shocked look that crossed her face would have bothered him. But she recovered quickly and found herself digging for more information. She had to know why.

"I can't believe some girl hasn't thrown you down and ravished you by now," she teased.

"Well," he began, "that actually did almost happen."

"Tell me about it," she said, playing with his hair. He sighed and relaxed against her then began his story.

Several years before, during his bandit days after the war, he'd determined to find a willing woman and get it over with, he began. Before then, he'd either been too busy leading the group in and out of trouble or fighting the Fire Nation to think about having a girlfriend.

Plus, the only girl in the group had been Smellerbee and he just couldn't think of her that way, he explained. Even once he figured out that she had a crush on him, he was so much her protector that he couldn't consider being her lover. She was like his daughter or his sister.

"The first man I ever killed was for her," he admitted easily, the words just coming out without pause for thought. "That whole business was really been hard on her. She kind of turned into a boy for a long time after that. I think that was how she dealt with it."

Before Mai could ask what happened, Jet had returned to his other story. His gang had been hanging out around Madam Wu's village between jobs, trying to lie low. Some of the guys really wanted Aunt Wu to tell their future. Jet could have cared less.

Unfortunately, avoiding Madame Wu's didn't mean avoiding her assistant, a young woman named Meng. For some reason, Meng singled him out for her attention. But far from deciding that he could hook up with her, he ran from her.

"She made me nervous," Jet explained, a little shiver still running through him. "It was like I was some kind of wild game she was stalking."

He'd taken refuge from Meng in a sleazy bar—some place a nice girl like her would never enter. And inside he met a beautiful older woman who'd also taken an instant shine to him.

"Her name was Jun," he sighed innocently. "She was so hot."

Mai felt a sudden rush of jealousy that nearly prompted her to dump him off her lap, but she reigned in the impulse and let him keep talking.

He'd found himself in the barn out back of the bar where Jun's giant shirshu was bedded down. The shirshu had given him a once over sniff, then settled back to sleep as Jun proceeded to do things Jet had only dreamed about.

"But just as it was getting really, really interesting," he admitted, "the town watch came in and arrested me for breach of promise to that girl Meng. I never spoke more than three words to her if I could help it," he declared angrily. "I certainly never made any kind of promise to her. By the time I got myself out of jail, Jun had left town. If she'd ever wanted to find me, she could have. But she didn't." He sighed again.

Mai sighed too, glad of his narrow escape. Zuko had talked about Jun. She was scary. Mai was glad Jet's first time hadn't been with her. In fact, Mai was feeling very gratified that she would be his first. And only. She wished very much at that moment that she could be the same for him.

"After that, we stayed on the move until I found Longshot and Smellerbee again. By then I knew I didn't want to just find some willing woman. I wanted to find somebody I wanted to be with. Somebody I loved," he said, sitting up to look at Mai. "I love you, Mai. I want to be with you. I want to marry you and never be apart from you."

The candidness of his statement cut through any layer of protection she'd laid around her heart. Whatever was going on inside Jet's head that was making him be so honest and unguarded with her had to be met with an equal unguardedness. She just couldn't take advantage of him any longer.

"I love you, too," she answered honestly, taking his hands in hers. "I want to be with you. I want to marry you and always be yours and no one else's," she continued. "But I have to tell you. I did the same thing you did. I decided to get what I wanted, but I didn't get arrested. I've been with someone. One guy, one time. I wish I hadn't now, but I did."

"Do I know him?" Jet asked suspiciously.

Mai could only nod. She knew it was coming. She shut her eyes.

"Zuko?"

She could only nod again.

"Does Toph know about this?" Jet asked.

Mai's eyes flew open in fear. "I hope not," she blurted. "Toph would kill me!"

"Do you still love him?" Jet asked evenly.

"He's my friend. But that's all. We broke up years and years ago," Mai explained. "In fact, I broke up with him. We would have been miserable together. He was meant to be with Toph, just like I was meant to be with you," she ended, looking up at Jet hopefully. More than anything, she hoped Jet still felt the same way.

Jet artlessly threw his arm around her and gave her a big hug and affectionate kiss on the cheek. "We all make mistakes," he said. "You should have waited on me. I waited on you," he teased.

"Only because you got arrested," she returned playfully.

"You're right," he replied. "And I did give your money to a prostitute," he added thoughtfully.

"I never understood what you were talking about," Mai stated as she snuggled against him. "If you're a virgin, why were you paying a prostitute?"

Jet leaned his head against hers and said, "I've given lots of money to prostitutes over the years. I guess because of Smellerbee."

But before she could get him to explain, Jet began to rub at his eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Sure," he answered. "I just can't see straight anymore."

Mai immediately pulled him up from the sofa and led him to the door. "We're going to see Katara. Right now." And she wouldn't take no for an answer.

Zuko meanwhile was in search of Toph. She'd been to visit Suki and Katara earlier that morning, but had vanished that afternoon. The house staff said she'd gone to the palace but hadn't said when she'd return.

It was getting late in the afternoon before she finally returned to the apartments.

As she came in the door, Zuko rose from the desk where he'd been reading over some correspondence from Fire Lord Iroh. His first inclination to ask where she'd been for so long gave way to concern as he saw the tired look in her eyes.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" he asked, taking her by the hands and leading her to the armchair that sat beside the desk.

"I'm fine," she replied. "Just tired. It's been a long day." Then to Zuko's utter surprise, Toph put her face in her hands and burst into tears.

He hated it when Toph cried. She never cried. Nothing ever upset her—things angered her, but never upset her. He had no idea what to do. He stood there for a second or two, completely bewildered, then came to his senses enough to kneel on the floor in front of her.

She threw herself onto his shoulder and cried brokenheartedly. "What's wrong, sweetie?" he asked over her sobs.

But she couldn't answer him. Zuko thought to himself that he had authority over an entire nation. He could with a word send regiments of soldiers to do whatever he wanted. He could command a navy to cross the earth, but he couldn't get his wife to tell him what was wrong with her. He'd never felt more helpless.

"It's okay," he tried to comfort her, rubbing her back gently as she wept against him.

"No, it's not," Toph managed. "It's not okay. He's going to die, Sparky, and it's all my fault," she sobbed anew.

"Who's going to die? Jet?" Zuko asked. When he'd talked to Katara about Jet's strange behavior that morning, she'd said it could be a lingering effect from the head injury. She'd said again that if Jet fought Ji-Fu, he could begin bleeding again to disastrous consequences.

But Jet was a good earthbender and a tough opponent, he told himself. There was no guarantee he'd come to any harm. He tried to say the same to Toph, but she would not listen.

"No, Sparky," she began, her sobs dying back as the worst of the outburst passed by. "I know he's going to die. I dreamed all about it. Lian Shen told me so."

"Lian Shen? In a dream?" Zuko responded with a little edge of disbelief. "You know how sneaky she is. If it really was Lian Shen, she was probably just trying to torment you."

"But I talked to King Bumi, too," Toph stated mournfully. "He wouldn't change the time of the contest. He said the one who could hear the earth was destined to win and that he wasn't responsible for the outcome past that." She sat back in the chair and looked Zuko in the eyes in her own way.

Then she said. "It's my fault he's in this mess, Zuko. If he dies, it will be on me," she declared sadly.

"Why in the world would you say that?" Zuko asked. "Did you give him the ability to hear the earth?"

"No, but I discovered that he could. I told Aang. I made sure Jet would take my place as the ruler of Omashu because I just wanted to go home," she admitted. Then she lay her head on his shoulder again.

Zuko rubbed her back and stroked her hair. Home. She'd called the Fire Nation home. As upset as she was, part of him was so happy. His Toph wanted to be with him. His home was her home.

"Toph, think about all the things that had to happen for us to find Jet," Zuko began reasonably. "We had to get lost in the swamp—in fact it kidnapped you. The swamp had to lead us to that village. Aang and the girls had to find us there and take us to the cave for me to recover. Jet had to go hunting for food with you. Are you sure this is all your doing? It sounds to me like destiny had a huge role to play in all this."

He pushed her back gently so he could look into her face. "If any part of it didn't happen, you'd have never found out about Jet's abilities. Are you sure you want to take sole responsibility for all this?" he asked softly.

Toph looked back at him thoughtfully. "I still feel awful," she stated after a few minutes. "And I'm so tired. Those wretched dreams kept me up all night."

"So come lie down for a while," he said gently, taking her by the hand and assisting her to her feet. "Take a good long nap and everything will look better to you."

They went up the stairs to the bedroom where Zuko walked Toph to the bed and slipped her shoes off before she lay down. Then he covered her with a soft blanket. "Are you leaving?" she asked as he walked to the door.

"I thought I'd let you rest," he replied, one hand on the burnished metal of the doorhandle.

"I'll rest better if you stay," she offered, reaching out for him.

"I'll stay," he responded and walked over to the other side of the large bed and sat down to pull off his boots. As he was doing so, he felt her move toward him to kneel up against his back, her arms around him as if she couldn't be close enough to him.

Then he lay down beside her, pulling her into his arms to rest her head on his chest. He reached across her to pull the abandoned blanket around her so she wouldn't get cold. After several minutes, her regular breathing told him that she was asleep.

Zuko lay there, Toph in his arms, and part watched, part felt the afternoon sun move across the sky toward evening. Daytime naps ran contrary to his nature. If the sun was up, he was too full of energy to sleep. Sleep was for sundown.

But it felt very good to lie there with his lovely wife in his arms. He put his hand gently on her waist. Somewhere inside there, his baby was growing.

He lay there beside her and relaxed in the knowledge that she was safe—that his child was safe. And despite the sun's call, he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Aang and Katara were spending a quiet afternoon themselves. Little Bumi had gone down for his nap and had yet to awaken. Aang had spent some time in meditation, asking the previous avatars everything he could think of about Jet's condition, hoping to find some answer.

They'd all told him the same thing. Some very gifted healers in the North Pole had treated that kind of injury directly by opening the skull with sharpened instruments, but none of the avatars had been close enough to the surgery to give him any real direction on how it could be done.

When he told Katara, she'd blanched visibly at the thought of cutting out a section of someone's skull. "How do you know what part of the skull to open? How do you get the bone to heal back correctly?" she'd asked. "What kind of saw do you use to cut the bone that accurately without cutting the tissue underneath?"

"I don't know," he answered sadly. Katara just shivered. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

But just as the words came out of his mouth, Mai entered with a staggering Jet on her arm. "His vision is causing problems," Mai explained calmly. "And he's been a little out of it." Aang realized that Mai was indeed calm—too calm. She was very worried and trying not to show it.

Katara ran her cool, blue waters around Jet's head as he sat on the sofa, his face in his hands. "Is it beginning to hurt?" she asked in concern.

Jet nodded as she worked. After a few moments, Katara frowned, but Jet looked up, visibly relieved. "Thanks, Katara," he said with a smile. "That feels a lot better."

"I'm glad," she answered. "Now you go take it easy for a while, do you hear me?" she instructed firmly. "Nothing strenuous."

"Just dinner with everybody at my place," he promised. "I won't even laugh too hard at The Duke's jokes."

Katara agreed and Mai and Jet exited, both smiling. Once they'd departed, Katara looked at Aang. "He's not better," she said quietly. "I think I've helped him temporarily, but the pressure is just going to build again. That tissue is fragile enough right now that just a hard jolt will cause it to reopen. He won't have to take an actual blow to the head to do it."

She sat down on the edge of the sofa and looked up at her husband with desperation in her eyes. "I can't do any more than I already have," she added solemnly. "They're all looking to me for a miracle, Aang, and there isn't one. I can't fix it this time."

But to Katara's relief, Jet seemed to be doing well that evening when the group gathered for dinner. Mai made him sit quietly and talk to Sokka as she did all the greeting of guests.

A final knock signaled the arrival of the group from the city. They all greeted each other loudly as the group entered, Smellerbee and Eun Min bringing up the rear. Eun Min hung back quietly, very uneasy at the glamorous surroundings she found herself in.

"Eun Min!" came a call from across the room. She looked up to see the young man with the black sword—Jet.

"Do you guys know each other?" Smellerbee asked curiously.

Zuko stepped in quickly. The look on Eun Min's face had been one of terror, not joy at renewing an acquaintance. "Yes," he explained without giving Jet a chance, "we met downtown the other day. Eun Min gave us directions back to the center of the city." He gave her a polite bow. "Thank you again for your assistance. I guess you've found the friend you were looking for?"

Eun Min looked visibly relieved at Zuko's explanation of their acquaintance and replied, "Yes, Smellerbee has invited me to stay with her for a while."

"That's wonderful," Zuko stated. Then he turned to Toph and gave her a quick warning squeeze on the hand before saying, "Toph, this is the young lady I told you about that helped me and Jet find our way back to the city. Eun Min, this is my wife Toph."

"It's very nice to meet you," Eun Min said with a bow.

Toph returned the bow and the greeting, realizing that Zuko was covering up the fact that the young lady had been in a brothel when they found her. Despite Zuko's promise that he wouldn't tell a soul about their adventures, he hadn't managed to keep anything from Toph. She'd gotten the whole story out of him within minutes once they were home.

Jet crossed the room to greet her as well, also coming to the realization that Eun Min wanted her previous occupation to be kept secret. He gave her a bow and welcomed her. Whatever Katara had done to him that afternoon had helped clear his mind a little. He didn't feel quite as goofy any more.

But with that clarity came the realization that he'd told Mai he was a virgin. That was not information he'd really wanted to share. He was glad to know she took it so well. On the other hand, while he'd handled the news that she and Zuko had been intimate pretty well at the time, now that he was back to himself, he was having a retroactive fit of jealousy.

He couldn't help glaring at Zuko ever so often as the group moved to the dining room for dinner. But Zuko never treated Mai with anything other than casual friendship and his obvious attention to Toph soon satisfied Jet that anything between him and Mai was long over.

As dinner turned to dessert and to after dinner conversation, Jet kept Mai close to him anyway.

Whatever had been between them in the past, it was over now. It had better be.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The gathering progressed nicely with everyone visiting and swapping stories. Jet seemed to be feeling more like himself, Zuko noticed—even if he did give him sharp glances occasionally. Zuko wondered if he was trying to tell him something about Eun Min—maybe warning him not to give away her past.

Eun Min did seem indeed a little ill at ease. She cast frequent nervous glances at The Duke, who frequently glanced back. Zuko could tell she wanted to talk to him. But Eun Min stayed close beside Smellerbee, as if afraid to leave her protection. It was sad to see someone so young be so damaged by life. It angered him.

The group wandered outside after dinner to walk around the grounds of the courtyard. Winter was on its way, but the evening was unseasonably pleasant.

Even so, Toph was cold and stepped inside for a shawl. The others paired off into couples and wandered away down the dark treelined paths. If Jet escorted Mai far away from the rest of the group, Zuko didn't think much of it. After all, they were a pretty serious couple at this point.

However, Zuko hoped that Eun Min would relax a little and maybe take a walk with The Duke down a quiet alley, but a tug on his sleeve alerted him that the girl had found him instead.

"I wanted to talk to you a moment," she said hesitantly. She looked around to be sure no one was close enough to overhear them, then looked up at him, her eyes full of worry. "Please, please do not tell anyone where you found me," she begged. "Smellerbee knows, but that's all. I don't want anyone else to find out."

Zuko agreed without hesitation, not letting slip that Toph already knew. Zuko had no worry that she would say anything though. Toph was not the gossiping kind.

"I won't tell anyone," Zuko said quietly. "But no one in this group would judge you harshly. We've all done things we've regretted."

"The only thing I regret is listening to my brother," Eun Min said bitterly. "When my mother died, he promised me a job in the city. I had no idea of the kind of job he meant."

"Your brother got you into that life?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"Yes, Hyun is my older brother," she admitted, shamefaced. They walked down a cool green path for a moment before she continued. "He sold me to Suk Chul to pay off part of a gambling debt to him. I am so ashamed. What if my village found out about the way he's dishonored our family? How I've dishonored our family?"

She stopped and turned to face him, her eyes full of tears. "I can't go home and face my relatives, my friends. I have to stay in the city now. But I don't want anyone else to know about me. I want a new start too. Can you understand why?"

Zuko nodded. He of all people could understand. So he escorted her to a bench on the path and sat with her. "Eun Min, you have not dishonored yourself. And you are not responsible for the actions of your brother. He has brought shame on himself—but his actions can't bring shame onto you. Trust me, my family did more to shame themselves than anybody I know of. But I'm not part of that and neither are you."

She looked at him steadily, but he could tell his words weren't sinking in. "Do you know who I am?" he asked.

She shook her head shyly. So he told her just who she'd been dining with. At first, she was overcome by celebrity. She'd had no idea she was having dinner with the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and the Avatar. Zuko refrained from telling her Jet was possibly the next King of Omashu—that would have pushed her over the edge and she wouldn't have spoken another word the entire night out of terror.

Finally, she relaxed enough to listen to his story. How his forefathers had tried to conquer the world. How he'd participated in the fall of Ba Sing Se. How he'd come to his senses and joined the Avatar. How his own father had tried to burn down the Earth Kingdom. How his sister had helped him. How they'd been defeated, but how the entire nation had been dragged down with their greed and lust for power.

"But even after all I've done for the past several years to repair the damage done to the world by my ancestors," Zuko admitted, "I still felt like I could never do enough. That just being related to them was curse enough to keep me from ever being able to accept who I was as a firebender, who I was as the Prince. I felt just as criminally responsible for their actions as they were."

"But you aren't responsible," Eun Min said firmly. "You aren't like that. You and Jet treated me with respect when I didn't deserve any. You helped me get away." Her voice was sincere.

Then as a sort of afterthought she added, "And I've heard some good things about how you and your uncle are making things better between the nations." But that wasn't as convincing. Zuko wasn't sure how interested Eun Min really was in politics. He didn't blame her.

But her next statement was just as sincere as her first. "Sir, you can't blame yourself for what they did. That wouldn't be right."

"And neither can you," Zuko replied firmly. "You can't blame yourself for your brother's actions and you can't blame yourself for what you were forced to do. I don't think you were a willing participant."

"Not at first," Eun Min said brokenly. "But they would push me and punish me for not smiling. Safflower would beat me if a customer complained about me. It was so hard to fight back against them."

Zuko felt horrible for her. "Even then, you didn't do anything you weren't forced to do. I respect you, Eun Min. I respect your bravery in helping us and in escaping when you had the chance. And if there's anything you need to get your new life started, just let me know. I've got some experience in starting over myself."

She nodded, then stood up from the bench and gave him a little bow. He stood and gave her a deep bow in return. She blushed and ran off. He felt so old.

After a few seconds, Toph joined him, now securely wrapped up in her warm shawl. "I can't believe you were cold," he teased, putting his arm around her.

"I'm much warmer now," she replied, leaning into his everpresent heat. "I heard what you said to Eun Min."

"Eavesdropping, huh?" he laughed.

"No," she defended herself in mock seriousness, "I just didn't want to intrude on a private conversation." Then she put her hand on his knee and gave it a squeeze. "You did good, Sparky," she said warmly. "I am really proud of you."

"I just told her the truth," he said smoothly, but knowing that his wife approved of his words made him feel that much better. Maybe he helped her. He hoped so.

Soon the evening chill drove everyone back inside again for more conversation. Zuko noticed that Eun Min had found a seat next to The Duke and was listening to him and Sokka tell incredible tall tales of shipwrecks and giant sea creatures. He was glad she'd relaxed a little.

After a bit, Sokka yawned. "Big day tomorrow, huh, Jet?" he observed, opening the can of worms in his typically casual fashion. Zuko figured he felt like he had to do it. He was worried. They all were.

"I still don't think you should do it," Toph stated firmly. "There's got to be another way than to risk your life."

Jet shot a hard look at her. He did not want to have this conversation at the moment; unfortunately the rest of the group did.

"What do you mean, risk your life?" Smellerbee asked sharply. "I thought you were better, Jet."

Jet listened as his 'friends' proceeded to gang up on him. Once Smellerbee had the full story of what that earthbending match could do to him, she joined her voice to all the rest—Pipsqueak, The Duke, and even Longshot adding their two cents' worth.

Only Eun Min and Mai said nothing. Eun Min just seemed out of her depth, but Mai sat quietly beside him, her only communication was to squeeze his hand when she agreed with what the others said. She squeezed a lot, but at least she didn't fight with him in front of everyone else.

To his surprise, the only one who stood by him was Zuko.

"Guys," Zuko stated, "Jet knows the risks. He knows what he's doing. If there was another way, he'd take it. Let him make up his own mind."

Then Mai spoke up. "Maybe there is another way," she began quietly and looked at Jet, apology in her eyes. "I mean, someone tried to kidnap you the other day to keep you out of the fight. If we can trace that back to Ji-Fu, then King Bumi will have grounds to at least throw him out of the contest for cheating."

Across the room, Zuko noticed that Eun Min suddenly got up and made herself scarce. She was afraid. She was afraid they'd ask her to tell what she knew and in doing so reveal the whole story of where they'd found her.

The group bandied theories for a moment, but no one had enough information to form any kind of real plan. The only one with knowledge that could possibly help them had gone to hide in the kitchens.

Eun Min wandered around, avoiding the glances of the curious kitchen staff. She couldn't identify the man she believed had ordered the kidnapping. But she could identify at least one of his men. She reached up to her face with a shaky hand. The bruises he'd given her still hadn't quite healed.

She'd never forget his face or the new tattoo he'd been so proud of. She slipped into a pantry, closed the door, and sat on the floor in the dark, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees as she curled up against the memory.

It had been a military tattoo. This man Jet was supposed to fight was a general. It all added up to her. It had to be the same man—this General Ji-Fu had to be the man in the covered palanquin who'd met with Suk-Chul.

She rocked back and forth as she considered what coming forward would mean. First of all, the truth about her life in the brothel would come out. Everyone would know what she'd been—The Duke would know.

And if she identified that man with the tattoo, she'd have to face him again. She'd have to look him in the eye and identify him. She'd have to remember the things he'd done to her.

Eun Min pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes as if she could block out the memory by blocking out her sight. She was too distressed to cry. The kind of fear and self-loathing that threatened to come out of her was too powerful for tears.

There was a soft knock at the door and it opened, allowing a shaft of light into the small pantry. Eun Min looked up to see Smellerbee standing there. She stood and fell trembling into her friend's arms. Smellerbee just held her and stroked her hair. Eun Min wondered if she'd ever feel whole again.

After a while, Eun Min and Smellerbee rejoined the group, which had progressed to drinking tea. Zuko was telling yet another Iroh tea story to everyone's laughter. Eun Min didn't hear a word of it, but laughed with the rest of them anyway.

At last the party broke up, even though no one was really ready to part company. Smellerbee, Longshot, Pipsqueak, and The Duke all promised to be at the public stadium at noon. "I'll have good seats for you guys—for all of you," Jet declared, including Eun Min in the invitation. She couldn't even look at him.

When they got back to the leather shop, Eun Min stopped Smellerbee in the little hallway outside the storeroom she slept in.

"Was this where Jet stayed?" Eun Min asked quietly.

"Yes, it was," Smellerbee replied. "Why do you ask?"

"How long have you known him?" Eun Min asked in reply.

"Nearly all my life," Smellerbee said with a sigh. Then she seemed to come to some sort of decision in her head and walked into the store room with Eun Min. They both took a seat on Jet's bedroll and Smellerbee began to talk.

"I'm going to tell you how we met because I think you need to hear this," she began quietly. "No one else knows about this but Longshot. He was there too."

Smellerbee began to tell Eun Min of when she was a little girl. She'd lived with her grandmother in a village that had been attacked by Fire Nation soldiers so many times that people frequently just lived in the burned out wreckage of buildings rather than rebuild again.

Her mother had died of a fever when she was a toddler and her father had gone off to fight the Fire Nation and had not been seen again.

When she was nine years old, her grandmother had also died during the winter, leaving Smellerbee alone in the world. Neighbors had taken her in, but that spring, the Fire Nation attacked again, leaving the village in desolation, the residents scattered. Smellerbee had lost contact with everyone she knew.

A man came through the village with the soldiers and had been kind to her. His name was Sang. He'd given her food and had patched up her burns and scrapes. Then he'd told her he was going to take her to live with him in a very nice house with good food and pretty clothes.

"I was so happy," Smellerbee said with a sad sigh. "I had no idea what he really had planned for me. We left the village behind the soldiers and headed out toward the nearest city. Before long, Sang began to look at me in ways that made me nervous and touch me in ways that I knew wasn't right. I was so scared of him after a while that I tried to run away."

They were deep within a forest when she'd made her break for it. "I ran as hard as I could, but he caught me. He tore my shirt off and said he was tired of keeping me intact for someone else. He said he'd teach me not to run from him again," her voice sounded tired and strained.

"Then out of nowhere, this tall, dark-haired, green-eyed boy jumped out of a tree with a piece of grass in his mouth and a pair of twin hook-swords in his hands," Smellerbee continued. "He told Sang to leave me alone. When Sang didn't listen, Jet fought him. I'd never been so scared in all my life. Sang was twice as big—Jet couldn't have been more than 12 or 13."

The fight had been brutal. Jet's speed and accuracy were not quite a match for Sang's strength and experience. Within moments, Jet was bleeding from several cuts. But he refused to give in, he kept leading Sang around the little clearing until he got him where he wanted him.

"Stop!" came a shout from overhead. A boy in a coolie hat held a bow, arrow on the string, steadily aimed at Sang's heart.

"Okay, okay," Sang acquiesced, lowering his sword. But the second Longshot's attention wavered, he'd jumped at Jet. Without pause, Jet stepped into his thrust, barely knocking the sword blade to the side with one sword and catching Sang's throat with the hook of the other. Blood had showered over him as the big man went down, his throat ripped open.

She'd watched in horror as Jet had stood there shaking, his eyes wide, covered in blood. Longshot climbed down out of the tree and stood beside him.

"You killed him, Jet," Longshot stated in shock. "What are we going to do?"

Jet looked at him and at her. Smellerbee watched him grow up in an instant as the scared boy inside Jet was shouldered aside by a determined young man. "You saw what he meant to do to her," Jet replied angrily. "He didn't deserve to live. Just leave him here."

They began to walk back into the trees, but Smellerbee just stood there in shock. Then Jet turned back to her. "Are you coming?" he asked.

She nodded and ran ahead to join them. They stopped for a moment at a little stream where Jet unselfconsciously stripped off his bloody clothing and plunged into the water, sending a red stain downstream as he washed himself clean. "Can't let The Duke see me like this," he explained to her, but the explanation meant nothing at the time.

She couldn't help but watch at him there on the bank, wearing only his shorts as he washed out his leather vest and trousers. Soon he'd dressed and they came to a stand of trees. Longshot gave a whistle and a knotted rope dropped before them. She'd followed him up to a rough treehouse, the start of Jet's eventual city in the branches, and joined the group.

"Within a couple of days they'd changed my name to Smellerbee because I found a dragonbee's nest full of honey, and I became one of the guys," Smellerbee explained.

"So what's your real name?" Eun Min asked.

Smellerbee looked at her a little oddly and replied, "Mei-lin. I'd almost forgot. I haven't been Mei-lin in a very long time."

"So did you and Jet ever? You know?" Eun Min couldn't help but ask.

"I loved him from the moment I saw him," Smellerbee replied. "But to him I was one of the guys. I guess I'll always love him at some level. But he never felt like that about me."

"Was it because of Sang?" Eun Min asked nervously.

"I don't think so. Jet always treated me like a kid sister—or brother for a long time. It took me a while to get past it all and reclaim my girl self," Smellerbee answered. "Give yourself some time too. You'll get through it. You're strong."

Eun Min reached under the bedroll to pull out the bag of coins Jet had given her. "This is an awful lot of money," she began.

"Jet gave you that, didn't he," Smellerbee said, recognizing the leather bag.

"Yes, I didn't know how much was in it when he gave it to me. It's an awful lot of money," she answered.

"He wants you to take it and make a new life with it," Smellerbee said, pressing the bag into Eun Min's hands. "Don't feel guilty. That's just how he is." Then giving her a smile, Smellerbee got up and headed to bed.

Eun Min turned the bag of money over in her hand. She did feel guilty. Jet and Zuko had rescued her. Jet had given all this money to her, never expecting anything in return. Now she had a way to repay him if she could identify that awful man. But could she bring herself to do it?

Eun Min lay down to sleep, but every time she shut her eyes she saw that face, that tattoo. Finally, she grew so exhausted that she drifted off to sleep despite herself, her dreams restless.

Smellerbee walked out of the storeroom and to the kitchen. She made herself a cup of tea and sat down to think.

Jet had given all his money to Eun Min without a second thought. She wasn't surprised. Jet had given away plenty of money to girls over the years. She remembered the night she'd learned about this side of him.

After they'd been separated by the fire on the day of the comet, Jet had spent nearly two years on his own, believing Smellerbee and Longshot to be dead. In his grief and loneliness, he'd turned bandit. He'd rediscovered them while raiding their own village and had begun helping the village keep bandits away.

It had been a tough time for Jet. He had been working through some pretty serious issues inside himself, trying to figure out who he was supposed to be—Freedom Fighter or street thug—bandit or protector.

It was soon after he'd re-entered their life that he came in from village guard duty late one night, tired but keyed up about something. Longshot had already gone to sleep across their little rented room, but she was still awake when he came in. Somehow she knew he needed to talk, so she got up to sit with him.

"I just don't want to spend the rest of my life alone," he'd said to her out of nowhere. "I mean, I look at what you guys have together. You're so lucky. You've found a peace in life. I've spent all my life fighting somebody—the Fire Nation, innocent people, now bandits."

"At least you're back fighting the bad guys again," Smellerbee had commented easily, hoping to lighten his mood.

He just gave her a tired look. "I don't want to fight. I just want to find somebody and be happy. I don't want to be alone anymore," Jet had sighed.

Smellerbee thought about telling him he wasn't alone, that he had her and Longshot, but she knew that wasn't what he meant.

Then he said what was really bothering him. "But I'm always going to be alone. I've tried to find somebody, but I can't. Back with the gangs I even tried going to a brothel with them. I figured I could pay somebody to be with me—to be close to somebody just for a little while."

Then he looked up at her and for a second she saw the scared boy she'd met in the woods so long ago. "But the first girl I laid eyes on in that place looked so young and so terrified. It was like seeing you when that guy tried to---" he broke off, looking away for a moment. Then he turned back to her and said, "Smellerbee, I paid for her just so she wouldn't have to be with one of those guys I was with. And I couldn't take advantage of her that way. So I paid for her and let her sleep."

"After that, any time the gang wanted to go to a brothel, I played along. They all thought I was some kind of pervert because I'd always pick out the youngest and scaredest girl in the room," he said with a bitter laugh. "But I just let her rest. None of them ever said anything but thank you."

The little fire flickered behind him as he sat for a moment. "Even when they tried to pay me back in the only way they could—you know--" he sounded embarrassed. "I just couldn't let them. I tried once to go for a girl who looked like she actually wanted to be there, but when she started in on me, I just couldn't do it. It wasn't right," he said sadly.

Then he got up and poked at the fire a moment before continuing. "But now if I see a girl at a shop or working somewhere and I think, she seems interesting, so I talk to her, if she seems interested back, I get all nervous and run the other way. What is wrong with me?" he said, the words running out of him in a rush, his hands shaking.

Smellerbee could tell what it had taken to get this worry out of him. She wondered how many girls had wished he'd been able to stop and talk, how many had wished they could pay him in the only way they could.

She'd certainly wished over the years she could be the one he turned to. But he wasn't the one for her. She glanced across the room where Longshot lay, his arm resting within easy reach of his bow. Old habits were hard to break, she thought fondly. Then she turned back to Jet. Her heart went out to him. Loneliness seemed to roll off him in waves.

"I think maybe you're trying too hard," Smellerbee advised gently. "There is nothing wrong with you. You are probably the only real gentleman I've ever met and the girl who finally manages to get past all your defenses will be the luckiest girl in the world."

"I am no gentleman, Smellerbee," he'd said bitterly. "I'm a killer and a thief and a thug. I'm not worth a nice girl's attention and I'm too cowardly to go after a bad girl. I'm always going to be alone."

She'd patted him on the shoulder and said, "You worry too much. Somewhere out there is the right girl for you. She'll be just bad enough to understand you and good enough to to be good for you, trust me."

Now as Smellerbee walked down the hall of the leathershop to the bedroom where her husband waited for her, his arm still within easy reach of his bow, she thought about her prediction, then about Lady Mai of the Fire Nation. If two people were ever made for each other, it had to be her and Jet.

She just hoped Mai appreciated what she'd found.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

The day of the big challenge had dawned bright and glorious, Ji-Fu thought to himself as he stood in the huge open bending grounds of the exhibition stadium.

A little sheen of frost still hung over all the boulders and glistened on the wooden seats of the stands as he looked about him. It all sparkled like the jewels in a king's crown—in his crown--he thought to himself.

He walked back to the palanquin that waited to carry him back to the military compound. He had to dress for the occasion. Something workable, but still splendid, he thought to himself. He didn't expect to meet much of a challenge in this Jet character. Once he was pounded literally to death, it would be Ji-Fu's time. Omashu would belong to him completely.

Ji-Fu looked around the grounds once again, breathing in the morning air. It was a beautiful day, bright and glorious.

Jet woke late. His mouth tasted vaguely metallic and his left eye was a little blurry. He blinked several times to try to clear it, but it never really got better. That wasn't good, he thought to himself. He considered going to see Katara, but decided against it. Any fix she could give him would only be temporary.

Then he thought, really thought about what it meant for him to fight Ji-Fu that day. He would win. That much he was sure of. Another night of dreams had only reinforced the overwhelming certainty of that fact. He was destined to be king of Omashu.

But for how long? Would he win and die within minutes of an unstoppable bleeding in his head? Would he live long enough to make any of the changes he'd envisioned for the city? Would he be able to at least get that fountain fixed so the people in the old neighborhood would have access to clean water?

And if he died, who would rule in his stead? Ji-Fu would be defeated, but who could hear the earth to reign in Jet's place? Would Ji-Fu manage to take the throne anyway? Would Aang and Toph somehow manage to keep order?

There was one thing he knew—he couldn't back down from this. He had to fight Ji-Fu. Only someone highly placed in the military could make sure that all the bandit activity and corruption went unnoticed by the trade council and the advisors.

Only someone with plenty of power could keep things running on the surface while the infrastructure crumbled. Jet was convinced that Ji-Fu currently ran the city. Now Ji-Fu wanted to run it openly as well.

That brought him to consider yet another question—what to do with Ji-Fu once the contest was over? Did he remove him from his post as general? Did he investigate him and try to prosecute him? He needed to be just and impartial. Otherwise it would look like he was just trying to get rid of his adversary.

Jet sighed and rubbed at his eye again. It focused a little more clearly and that gave him hope. But as he walked into the huge bathing room, he realized he needed more than hope as he passed out on the tile floor.

Some time later, he awoke to Katara's cool blue waters. "This is getting to be a regular thing with us, isn't it, 'Tara?" he murmured.

"Hush and be still," she said sternly.

"Tara?" came Aang's voice in the background. "Since when do you have a nickname for my wife?" he asked in mock severity.

"Since she became my personal healer," Jet replied smoothly.

"Let's see that she doesn't become any more than that," Mai's deep voice interjected. "I'm the only one who gets nicknames from you."

"Sure thing, sugar," he replied from his place on the cold tile floor. He reached out to it. He could feel the individual tiles, the grout, the metal pipes running beneath them. "Hey, this floor has a hot water pipe grid underneath it," he noted. "Get them to turn on the heat. It's cold down here."

"You be still and be quiet," Katara instructed again, frustration in her voice. "I'm trying to work here."

However, someone must have heard him because a warm glow of heat began to flow in the metal pipes, warming the tiles beneath him. Through the fog in his brain, he realized he could hear. He could feel the heat. But he couldn't see. This wasn't good.

"Tara," he began sweetly. "Why is it so dark in here?"

"How many fingers am I holding up?" she asked in response.

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He was blind. He could not see a thing. The only problem with that was that if the rest of the crew knew he couldn't see, they'd certainly keep him from fighting Ji-Fu. So he called on all his earthbending abilities to bring the world into a new kind of focus.

In a subtle, shimmery way, Katara became just visible enough kneeling beside him that he could say with almost full confidence, "Two."

"Good. You had me worried for a moment," she replied then she stood and reached out a shadowy hand for him to take. He reached back to take it, glad when his hand met hers solidly. He wondered if this was how the world looked to Toph.

"How did you guys find me?" he asked, making himself glance around at them, even though his bending sight told him where they were in the room without his ever turning his head.

"Your valet came up to see if you were ready to dress and found you on the floor. He called us and we called Mai," Aang explained.

"Well, I'm going to finish getting ready," Jet said, very business as usual.

Aang and Katara left the room without another word, but Mai stayed behind. "Jet," she began, and though he couldn't see the expression on her face, he could tell that her heart was beating fast and that her breathing had gone ragged. She was going to cry on him.

"Hey, hey, sugar," he said, pulling her into his arms. The solid feel of her body against him gave him courage enough to speak. "It's okay, sugar. I'm going to be okay. Do you hear me?"

She didn't answer, but instead wept hot tears against his shoulder. He stroked her hair and talked to her soothingly for a while.

"I'm so sorry," she said after several minutes. "I'm sorry I haven't been what I should have been for you. I should have been better. I should have loved you more."

"What are you talking about, sugar?" he asked sternly. "You're talking like you think I'm going to die."

Mai burst into tears again, this time hysterical tears. She did think that he was going to die. Then again, when it came right down to it, he pretty much did too. The thought sobered him. But it didn't change anything.

He led her back to the bed and sat down with her in his arms, holding her, kissing her, but he couldn't speak. The room looked very strange to him. All the wood and fabrics had vanished. A stone urn on a shelf in the corner seemed to float in the air without its wooden support beneath it. But the carvings on the urn were even more detailed to him than when he used his eyes.

Mai stood out to him though. He could see her better than he could see the others. She had substance to his sight, not shadow. She was real in every way.

"Don't do this, Jet, please," she begged him through her tears. "Please stay with me. Don't leave me to be here without you."

"I'm not leaving you, Mai," he said with a certainty he didn't feel. "But I have to do this, can you understand that?"

"No," she cried. "I can't. Why can't you just let it go? Just let it go and be with me. Be okay."

He embraced her for a long moment before he spoke. He wasn't exactly sure how to say what was on his mind. "It's me," he began quietly. "It's my job to do." He paused and brushed at her hair with his fingertips. "It's my destiny."

"You don't believe in destiny," she whispered.

"My higher purpose then. You told me yourself that when I looked outside myself to what others needed I'd find my higher purpose," he recalled. Then he leaned his face against her shoulder. He didn't know quite how to say the next part.

"I have to do this because it's what I have to do," he said at last. "Even if it kills me, I have to do it."

"Are you so sure this is it?" she asked him. "I mean look at all the bad things that have happened to you since you decided to do this. Couldn't they be warnings? Signs?"

Jet thought for a moment. It had been a very rough few weeks, he had to admit. Then he shook his head. "No, sugar. Those things weren't warnings. They were guideposts," his voice was quiet but sure.

She held him for a few more quiet moments. He could feel her breath come in little shudders as she tried to compose herself again.

"I want you to know something," he said to her at last. "Ever since I met you, ever since that first night in the swamp, I haven't felt alone. You have been the best thing that ever happened to me and I love you more than anything."

"Then please be careful," she whispered urgently. "Please don't leave me."

"I'm not going to do anything today but kick Ji-Fu's ass and come back here with you. And I'm going to ask you to marry me and you're going to say yes, do you understand?"

"Ask me now," she replied, her voice soft. "Jet, please ask me now."

"Nope," he answered, setting her on her feet. "After I kick Ji-Fu's ass. Not before. Now I've got to get cleaned up and dressed. You are welcome to stay if you want to."

He saw her nod her head and he went into the bathing room, shucking his clothes as he went. He had a moment of panic when he realized that he couldn't see the fabric cord that signaled the hot water crew below to pump water into the bath. He absolutely did not want Mai to know that he couldn't see.

Then he caught sight of the little metal trim on the tassel that decorated the end of the cord and gave it a pull. To disguise the fact that he wasn't sure when the water level was high enough, he periodically stuck his finger into it as if checking the temperature. When it seemed deep enough, he cut it off and slipped into the water.

Mai sat on a little chair across the room and watched him bathe. When he'd begun to strip, she was at first embarrassed, then decided to take advantage of the opportunity to watch him. He was paying no attention at all to her, so she memorized the muscles of his back and legs, noting even more scars than she'd seen so far.

He was gorgeous. She watched him flip the wet hair back out of his eyes as he scrubbed. Then he stood up. At first she averted her eyes in shyness, then she just looked at him, watching him as he toweled off. He seemed so perfect—so healthy, so well. She began to gain heart that maybe everything was going to be fine.

Jet wrapped a towel around his waist and walked to the sink to shave. He picked up the razor, then put it down again, opting instead to just brush his teeth. He decided he didn't really want to use a straight razor by feel alone. He'd just have to face Ji-Fu scruffy today.

He walked out of the bathing room aware that he was in trouble yet again. He couldn't pick out his clothes if he couldn't see them. "Sugar," he called casually. "Come grab what you think I ought to wear to this."

While Mai picked through his closet, he pulled out the drawer where his underwear should be, glad his valet was such an organized kind of guy. She passed him his trousers--he could tell they were trousers from the buttons at the fly. Then his shirt, vest, and overtunic. It was a cool morning.

She'd changed her mind though on the overtunic, taking back the first one she'd held out to him for a second option. Somehow, he'd managed to get himself dressed by feel to the point where Mai could put the finishing touches on him.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Wonderful," she answered. "But you can't see a thing, can you?"

"What makes you say that?" he asked, trying his best to play it off. "Because of that first jacket you tried to get me to wear? I was just messing with you."

When she laughed, he knew it had been a trap. She was suspicious. So he walked over to her and ran his hands over her hair, careful of the metal pins he could see holding her hairstyle in place. Then he ran his eyes up and down her as if they could see just as clearly as his bending vision could.

But his eyes couldn't see her heart beat. They couldn't see that pulse in her throat, couldn't watch her breathe. He couldn't read her expression, but he could tell so much about her by how her heart jumped a little when he kissed her, how her breath caught when he ran his tongue lightly over that little pulse in her throat.

Vision was overrated, he decided, as they walked down the stairs, her arm tucked in his.

Toph sat in her room at the window, also unable to see with her eyes what went on below her. Her advanced earthbending vision, however, was sharp enough to see Jet and Mai walk arm in arm out of the courtyard. Jet was headed to the grounds.

She'd heard from Katara and Aang that Jet had another spell that morning. Ji-Fu was going to kill him. That much was certain.

And there was nothing anybody could do about it. "Please tell me you've uncovered something new in the avatar state," she'd begged Aang.

"Not really," he said, "just that opening the skull is the only option—just not an option any of us have any experience in."

"What about one of the healers in the city?" Toph asked. "Surely one of them has some experience in this kind of injury."

"We've got requests out," Aang said, "but so far no one has replied. By the time someone qualified finally gets here, it may be too late."

"Surely there's some way we can manage this," Toph sighed.

Katara just sighed with her. "I just don't have any training at all on doing something so extreme," she admitted. "The whole idea of making a hole in someone's skull terrifies me."

Zuko shrugged. "I wish there was some way to get him to the North Pole," he said. "How fast could Appa make the trip?"

"Just the two of us, in probably five days," Aang replied. "And that's hard flying. It's over three thousand miles away."

"That may be the best option. I don't think you'll get him out of here before the contest, but if he makes it through, you might have to just grab him and run," Zuko offered.

Toph shuddered. He wasn't going to live through it. She could feel it in her bones.

"I wish some avatar in my past had taken the time to learn some advanced healing. The body is made up of all the elements—surely there's a way to heal using the avatar state," Aang sighed. "Maybe that's a nice side project for me to work on. That way the avatars to come will know something that could help them in a time like this."

"But it won't do Jet any good though, will it?" Toph commented bitterly.

"No," Aang replied, "it won't." And the Avatar and his waterbending healer wife walked out of their apartments to go watch Jet die, she thought sardonically.

"Are you ready?" came Zuko's voice at the door much later, startling her from her dark thoughts. "I've been waiting downstairs for you."

"I'm not going," Toph answered, her voice flat and emotionless. "I can't watch him die, Zuko. And he's going to die."

"Sweetie, you don't know this," he said reasonably, sitting on the little sofa beside her. Below them, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki all walked out of the courtyard.

"Can the spirits know?" she asked.

"I suppose so."

"Then I know because Lian Shen has spent two nights telling me in my dreams that I'm a murderer. That I've set Jet up to die," Toph retorted harshly.

Zuko sat back in surprise. He knew her dreams had been bad. But he'd not realized just how seriously she was taking them. He wished there was some way he could throw himself into the spirit world. He had a few things to say to Lady Lian Shen about upsetting his wife.

"Then she laughs at me and says Katara bends blood but not bone," Toph snapped. "I hate her."

Zuko sat there with his arm around Toph for a while, not really knowing what to say. The timepiece over the fireplace showed noon. The contest would already be starting.

In the stands of the exhibition stadium, Eun Min shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She wanted to help Jet, she really did. So she kept her eyes peeled for any sign that the tattooed man would appear. Then she could identify him to Aang and the Avatar could make sure justice was served. That's what the Avatar was supposed to do, right?

But though she watched and looked, she didn't see him. Finally, she watched Ji-Fu alight from his palanquin at the end of the stadium and walk onto the grounds, waving at the crowd as if this was just another exhibition.

Jet still had not appeared and Eun Min was both worried that he couldn't make it and hopeful that he wasn't going to. She liked Jet and didn't want him to get hurt.

Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Suki joined them in the stands in the section where Jet had reserved their seats. Eun Min slid down a little closer to The Duke to make room. She didn't mind. The Duke offered her some popoats from a paper box he held, but she shook her head. "They only make me thirsty," she replied.

"So let's go get a drink," he suggested and pulled her to her feet to find the concessions vendor again.

As the two young people headed out into the crowds, Jet and Mai made their way into the stands. "King Bumi here yet?" Jet asked Aang quietly.

"Just up there," Aang replied curiously, pointing above them.

"Oh, yeah, didn't notice," Jet answered, making his eyes follow Aang's finger as if he were looking up into the stands.

Aang couldn't help but wonder how Jet missed the gigantic banner and silk draperies framing the king's box seat just a few rows up. He must be really, really nervous.

Out in the center of the field, a herald began to announce the contest. Jet only half listened as Ji-Fu's name and many lengthy accomplishments were called.

Out in the midst of the gigantic boulders and sand, he could see a vague figure—Ji-Fu, he presumed—make its way out to position on the far end of the field. The wood of the stands interfered badly with his ability to see. He hoped it would be clearer once he was on the grounds. Otherwise he really was in trouble.

"You better go, Jet," Mai said quietly. He gave her a thorough kiss, then pressed his forehead to hers for a long moment, cradling her cheek in his hand. "I love you," she whispered.

"I'm counting on it," he whispered in return, then carefully made his way down the steps, one hand on the rail to be sure he kept heading in the right direction. The herald began his extremely short announcement of Jet's name—only. No accomplishments, no offices. Just him.

Instead of making him feel inadequate, however, he felt purified, stripped of everything but his earthbending sight. Everything he was stood right before the people, he thought to himself as he stepped out to the grounds.

The moment his feet left the wooden stands and landed on the earth of the grounds, he knew something was wrong. The earth wasn't solid. It wasn't just boulder and sand. There were things underneath. He could feel metal and possibly wood.

He shifted his attention to the huge boulders. They were the same. They weren't solid. They were rock on the outside, but the insides were things like metal or wood. They'd be heavier or lighter than expected.

Even the sand held obstacles. For instance, he stood on a narrow ledge of truly solid rock with sand stretching out before him for probably twenty feet. But the sand was only a cover. Underneath was another ledge of rock, jutting up just high enough to stop anything sliding that way through the sand.

The course was laid out as a series of traps and ruses. That's why the one who could hear the earth would win.

A horn sounded, breaking through his thoughts. He hadn't really prepared any kind of defense, any plan of action, he realized as Ji-Fu attacked, shoving one of the gigantic boulders across the grounds at him.

But Jet knew from the moment Ji-Fu pushed that the boulder was too heavy to reach him. It would never be able to cross the hidden ledge of rock. Didn't Ji-Fu realize that?

Jet just stood there and watched as Ji-Fu tried again. At the distance, he couldn't tell much about Ji-Fu's expression or heartrate, but he knew from his attack that Ji-Fu had miscalculated again. This rock was light and fast and easily deflected with another boulder he tipped into it.

Certainly the man knew how to shove earth around, Jet thought. But he couldn't see the things Jet was seeing. It felt like cheating.

Up in the stands, The Duke had just found the drink vendor when Eun Min suddenly pulled at his arm. "That's him," she whispered urgently.

"Who?" he asked, taking her guavapecan juice from the vendor.

"The tattooed man—he's over there," she cried, dragging The Duke back down the steps to find Aang.

Aang sat watching the match but was a little confused. The wood of the stands interfered with regular bending and it would be a little suspicious of him to enter the avatar state right there in front of everybody. But he could tell that something was not right with the grounds.

Ji-Fu's first two attacks should have just smashed Jet where he stood, but neither of them reached him. Jet had only barely bended at all to deflect the second boulder. Aang could see the frown on Ji-Fu's face.

"Bumi!" Ji-Fu called angrily. "What are you doing? Why are you interfering with this?"

"I'm not interfering with anything, Ji-Fu. Any bender in the stands can attest—the only bending being done is by you and young Jet here," Bumi called back. Then in an undervoice he added, "And you're not bending too well, are you, Ji-Fu?"

Ji-Fu turned back to Jet and launched a massive attack of boulders against him. Under normal circumstances, Jet wouldn't have had a chance, but as it was he was only a little hard pressed to get out of the way of the few that made it through the maze of metal spikes, quicksand, collapsing floors, and hollow interiors.

One particular boulder got close enough that Jet had to shove another heavy boulder against it, the momentum of the big rock pushing him back to slam against the wall.

That was it, he thought to himself. That was the jolt hard enough to kill him.

Eun Min made her way as fast as she could through the crowd to Aang. He could stop it. She could tell him about the tattooed man and he could stop the match. But the crowd was yelling and standing to its feet as Ji-Fu blasted boulder after boulder across the field. They couldn't get through.

The Duke tucked her behind him and said, "Hang onto me!" She put her hands on his waist and grabbed his belt as he began to push his way through the crowd. He soon made a path for them up to where Aang and Katara sat.

"I've found him!" she said breathlessly. "I found the tattooed man! Tell the king to stop the match!" Unfortunately, Aang had no idea what she was talking about.

"I can't ask King Bumi to stop the match if I don't know why," Aang tried to explain to the distraught girl. So Eun Min took a deep breath and began to tell all she knew about Jet's kidnapping.

Out in the field, Jet felt okay. Still blind, but the hard jolt hadn't seemed to do any more damage. So he kept going. Ji-Fu was screaming that the grounds were rigged—that they were cheating.

"Be quiet, Ji-Fu!" Bumi snapped at him. "I told you that a requirement was to hear the earth. Apparently, you know nothing about listening to your element. You are only capable of shoving it around!"

Ji-Fu stormed back to regroup, preparing another major attack.

Jet just shrugged and listened carefully. Then he felt something. Something in the center of the grounds moved—something small, something metal. Where was the bender who moved it?

Ji-Fu hadn't done it; he clearly wasn't a metal bender anyway.

Jet hadn't done it.

Jet cast his awareness up into the stands—Bumi.

It had to be King Bumi.

He tried hard to see the king's expression, tell something about him, but it was too far.

Aang however, looked up at Bumi. He too had felt something from him, something no other bender in the stands would have felt. Metalbending. But very small and subtle.

Bumi was smiling.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Back in the compound, Toph sat next to Zuko on the couch, trying not to think about what was going on in the stadium. She knew Jet would win. But she also knew the fight would kill him. That was a given.

But Lian Shen's words nagged and nagged at her. It was like she was teasing Toph. She hated that manipulative green witch. She really did.

Katara bends blood but not bone, she'd say and just laugh and laugh.

Bone bending. Who could do that? Bones are part of the body. Tissue. Nobody could bend that.

Then she looked at Zuko really, really hard. She was used to seeing motion in him—the way his blood moved in his heart, the way the air moved in his lungs. Most of the time she concentrated on seeing his skin so she could see his expressions.

Then she looked deeper.

Calcium.

It was a little gross to look at his skeleton, but she could see it. Why hadn't she ever tried this before?

Well, it was a little gross, she thought.

But if she could see it, she could bend it, she thought to herself.

Then she tried to see her own bones. Nothing. She never could see anybody else like she could Zuko. Ever since the day on the beach when she'd restarted his heart, she could see him in so much more detail than anybody else—even herself.

Maybe that was it. Without a word, she grabbed Zuko's hand and began to run.

Jet had felt Bumi move something metal. He knew it. The other benders wouldn't have picked up on it. None of them could bend metal. Even Aang might not have felt it since he was sitting on the wooden stands. But Jet was on the ground listening with all his earthbending abilities and felt the small metal item move maybe an inch or two.

Disregarding the fact that Ji-Fu was probably going to attack again at any moment, Jet knelt on the ground so he could put his hands in contact with the earth and listened for what lay in the vicinity of the piece of metal.

Ji-Fu shoved another large boulder at him—a heavy one that Jet knew would never even reach him. So he ignored it to Ji-Fu's very vocal displeasure.

"Fight me, you coward!" he yelled, but Jet just ignored him, intent on seeing into the wooden box he'd discovered beneath the metal piece. The metal piece was a trap door latch—now unlatched, he realized. And the box was at least ten feet deep—quite a drop for the unprepared. Ji-Fu could hurt himself seriously if he fell in without warning.

"Be careful, Ji-Fu!" Jet called to him. "There's a trap about ten feet in front of you."

"Idiot," Bumi murmured to himself in the stands. "Let him fall in! Don't warn him!" But Bumi knew that the overconfident Ji-Fu would never listen. He'd never let an opponent do him a favor.

Sure enough, Ji-Fu took several bold steps forward in that very direction, shoving boulders from all sides at Jet as he came. Jet quickly analyzed which had a chance of making contact, sidestepped a few, deflected a few others, and ignored a few others. Two got close enough to shove him around a little, one knocking him flat of his back to slide a few feet in the sand.

Eun Min watched him fall back and hit the ground hard, her heart jumping in her throat. Was he okay? she thought, even as she kept telling Aang her story. She told him how she'd worked in the kidnappers' hideout. How she'd seen a covered palanquin with this man as one of its bearers just before Suk-Chul ordered Jet's kidnapping.

"And I can prove it's him because he had a new military tattoo on his shoulder," she explained. "If he's one of Ji-Fu's men, that proves a connection between Ji-Fu and the kidnappers."

"True enough," Aang said as he stood. He looked down to where Jet was slowly rising from the ground. He'd managed to stay on his feet so far, but there was no guarantee he'd be able to continue doing so. Eun Min's suggestion was worth trying with King Bumi, so Aang headed up to the king's box. Maybe there was time to stop this before Ji-Fu stopped Jet permanently.

Jet stood there a moment to collect his thoughts, aware that Ji-Fu was not slowing down. He shoved a light boulder at the general, more to distract him while he took inventory of himself than to hurt him. Ji-Fu deflected it easily, then took another step forward, closer to the trap door.

Jet realized things weren't good for him just as Ji-Fu strode forward two more steps to hurl a large boulder from the side at Jet. Apparently, Ji-Fu was trying to feel the earth more sincerely, because this boulder avoided all but one of the hidden hazards in the sand.

If it hadn't hung on a metal spike at the last moment, Jet would have been flattened. As it was, Jet just ignored it, knowing it would never get to him. Jet had more pressing things on his mind. He was losing his sense of balance.

He knew that sure enough, one of those hard blows had done its job. He was bleeding again. Badly.

Meanwhile, Ji-Fu shot boulder after boulder at him, some hanging, some stopping short. Jet was lucky that none of the giant rocks could make it through to him because he was not really capable of stopping them right that moment. He tried to think, but everything had gone fuzzy on him.

Then he watched as Ji-Fu stepped onto the trapdoor just as he was completing a bending move to shove yet another boulder at him. The door collapsed beneath his feet in a shower of sand, and the general fell with a short cry of surprise.

"You should have believed me," Jet whispered to Ji-Fu as he sidestepped the last boulder sliding past him.

An earthbending official ran over to where Ji-Fu lay in the box, but Jet could tell by the shadowy angle of the man's neck that he was dead.

There was a gasp as Ji-Fu fell, then the crowd went silent as the official carefully walked over toward Jet, placing one hand on his shoulder. "I give you the winner—Jet!" he announced, doing his best to sound excited with the sudden tragic turn of events.

Up in the stands, Aang had just reached Bumi's side when Ji-Fu fell. "Ooooh, too bad," Bumi stated without a trace of sympathy. "Jet did try to warn him though. What can I do for you, Aang?" he asked with a friendly smile as he led the applause which began slowly as the crowd got over its shock, but grew over the next few moments.

"That's okay," Aang managed to say as he gazed down into the grounds. The height of the stands and the placement of the trap gave him a clear view of Ji-Fu's body sprawled out onto the floor of the box.

Eun Min had watched in horror as the match continued, gasping with the crowd as Ji-Fu fell. Then when Bumi began to applaud the winner, she joined in, her face beaming.

She looked over at The Duke in excitement to see a confused look on his face. "How did you know that guy had a tattoo on his shoulder?" he asked curiously. Eun Min's smile faded.

Down on the field, Mai ran to the edge of the stands, relief written all over her face. It was over. He was still alive. Jet struggled through the sands toward her, growing more dizzy by the second. Even his earthbending sight was beginning to flicker on him. It hurt him to think that he wouldn't be able to see her much longer.

She grabbed at his arms, then hugged him tightly, planting a huge kiss on his lips.

"Can we get out of here?" he asked her.

"Of course," she answered. He looked and sounded tired.

Katara, Suki, and Sokka joined them at the edge of the stands, Smellerbee, Longshot, and Pipsqueak close behind. The crowd pressed around them, all wanting to talk to him, to touch him. Jet backed away a little. His head was really beginning to hurt. That disappointed him. He was hoping it wouldn't come to that.

He looked at Katara—at least he hoped it was her, his vision was really slipping. "I'm not good, Tara," he said softly.

She ran her globe of waters around his head. The pain eased a little, but his vision didn't return. "Oh, Jet," was all Katara could say.

"Aang!" Sokka called in his booming voice. Aang airbended his way lightly down from the stands to stand beside them.

"We need to get him some place quiet—soon," Katara said urgently.

Pipsqueak stepped forward. "Allow me to help, Miss Katara," he said, then roared at the crowd. "Everybody, move!" Then he began to break a path through the press that an elephantocerous could walk through.

Somehow they managed to get him out of the stadium and up the street where they were met by Toph and Zuko.

"What's going on?" Toph asked, out of breath. Zuko knew from the looks on their faces. Mai's especially.

"Hey, Toph," Jet said from his perch between Sokka and The Duke as they carried him back to the diplomatic compound. "I won by default. Bumi had the floor rigged like you wouldn't believe."

"Yeah, I probably would believe it," she said with a laugh. "I've known Bumi a long time." She placed her hand on Jet's head and said, "Not doing too good in there, are you?"

"Not really," he managed.

"Just hang in there a second until we get to the practice grounds, okay?" Toph instructed. Then she turned to Katara and Aang. "We're going to have to do it," she said.

"Do what?" came Katara's response.

"We're going to go in there and fix this. We're going to make a hole," Toph replied easily.

Katara just looked at her in confusion as Toph waved the guys on. "What do you mean, we?" Katara asked in frustration. "I don't know the first thing about making a hole in someone's skull!" Just the thought of Toph what asking her to do made Katara tremble uncontrollably.

"It's going to be okay, Katara," Toph said softly, pulling her by the hand up the street to follow the guys carrying Jet. "Remember when Jet helped out by cutting up Zuko? I think I can help out now."

"How in the world can you help out?" Katara asked in disbelief.

"Skull and bone and blood and flesh all contain earth. I can see that earth better than any of you," Toph replied as she strode on ahead of them, motioning for them to hurry up. "I learned how to see Zuko. I can learn how to see Jet. And if I can see it, I can bend it," she added over her shoulder.

"Can she do that?" Katara asked Aang quietly as they hurried to catch up.

"None of the past avatars have ever run into an earthbender that can do what Toph can do," Aang answered. "It's certainly worth a try."

Within moments, they'd arrived at the courtyard and Toph had given orders for Sokka and The Duke to place Jet in the center of the courtyard there on the earth.

Jet tried to look for Mai but couldn't see any more at all with either sense. He tried to call to her, but he couldn't hear her answer. Not good, he thought. Not good at all. Then he felt something—felt a hand press itself into his. Mai. He wasn't alone. She wouldn't leave him. Then he couldn't feel anything anymore.

Imperiously, Toph sent everyone but Mai, Aang, and Katara to sit in the stands. "Minimize distractions," she stated.

She knelt on the ground beside Jet, making sure to pull up her skirts so that her bare knees met the dirt. In an afterthought, she had them remove Jet's shirt as well so that his bare back also made contact with the earth. "Maximize contact with the element," she explained.

Toph placed one hand on his forehead and one on his chest. Then she began to breathe deeply, sending her consciousness into the deepest levels of earthbending she could muster. Around them, the ground began to vibrate.

In the stands, Zuko remembered when Toph had called on the earth to heal him on Tuzai Island—they said her earthbending had been so powerful it caused a volcano to erupt. He sincerely hoped Omashu had not been built on top of a volcano.

He needn't have worried, however, because this time Toph's bending was not fueled by fear and desperation. This time she was clear-headed and completely in control of what she was doing—she hoped.

The level of concentration and commitment it took to bend like this was so far outside her usual range of action that it did scare her a little. But Toph pushed back the fear and instead called on her element. As she did, the ground around her gave a heave and roll and they settled into its embrace like a mother holding her child.

She called on the elements inside Jet's body to become visible to her—to show themselves to her. She called on the elements inside herself to shine in her sight. As the earth around them rolled and undulated, caressing them with its touch and its power, she opened her sight to the minute particles of earth that suffused them, willing her vision to accept them, to see them, willing her powers to bend them.

In the stands, Zuko couldn't help but gasp at the sight of the courtyard rolling up and around them, pulling at them. Mai and Katara struggled back out of its grasp in abject terror, leaving only Toph, Aang, and Jet in the flow of earth that surged over them.

Zuko jumped down and ran to pull Mai and Katara free of the dirt that clung to them like a living creature. The others reached down to help as they all struggled to climb higher into the stands out of the reach of the earth that continued to crawl and pull.

On the highest seats, they looked back in a mixture of fear and amazement as the ground solidified over Aang, Jet, and Toph, forming a statue-like shell over them, freezing them into place. How long could they hold their breath like that? Zuko couldn't help but wonder.

Then just as suddenly as the earth had surged over them, it suddenly fell away from them again and the courtyard returned to its previous state as if nothing had ever happened.

"Katara," Toph called, "come here. I can see what to do now."

Cautiously Katara stepped out of the stands, as if unsure of the ground's intentions. Once she reached their side, Toph looked up at her and said, "I'm going to pinpoint the spot and make the opening. But I can't heal the bleeding. You're going to need to do that. I can get you in where you need to be though. Just let me know if you need more working room."

Then Toph picked at her meteor bracelet until she'd pulled a piece free from it, rolling it in her fingers until it grew pointed. "Let's start with this one. I think it's the worst," she said calmly. "By the way, Katara, you were right about there being more than one bleed. I've found three—two old ones and one new one. It's the new one that's causing the worst of the trouble."

"What are you going to do with that?" Katara asked nervously, gesturing at the little piece of meteor with its pointed end.

"I'm just going to use it to direct my energies," Toph explained easily.

Katara watched in a mixture of fascination and horror as Toph pressed the little meteor spike against Jet's forehead just at his hairline, a little to the left of center. Toph closed her eyes in concentration and Katara watched a tiny hole appear, a pearl of blood welling to the surface.

Katara shook herself and pulled her healing waters free of the waterskin as Toph teased and molded the bone, biting her lip in concentration. At last she finished making a small opening in Jet's forehead. Katara just managed to catch the sudden flow of blood that erupted from the wound.

There was a good bit of pressure behind the rush of blood, Katara realized and she worked quickly to heal the tear she could now see through Toph's little opening.

After the tear was sealed, she pulled out the rest of the pooled blood that was putting pressure on the brain in that place, then Toph resealed the skull as she healed the tissue. Then they moved to the next tear.

Jet woke up halfway through the second healing and they'd had to do some fast talking to keep him still. In the end Mai had been needed to come and sit with him, holding his hands while they worked. He swore that it didn't hurt a bit and that he felt great. Although Mai looked a little pale, she bravely stuck it out while they finished up the final tear in the back of his head.

At last, they were done, Jet swearing he felt fine, Mai still a little pale, Katara shaking, Toph triumphant.

"I can't believe you guys actually did that," Aang was saying as he placed an arm around Katara.

"We rocked, basically," Toph said with a huge proud grin.

"Man, you guys were incredible," Jet added. His words were directed toward Toph and Katara, but he couldn't keep his eyes off Mai. They traveled up and down her like they were drinking her in. "Oh, sugar, you don't know how good it is to see you again."

"You really couldn't see this morning, could you?" Mai asked, fear making her voice sharp.

"No, sorry," Jet said sheepishly. "But I can see you now." And he kissed her. From the way she kissed him back, Toph knew she'd forgiven him.

Then Toph realized she could see Mai too. She glanced around at the group and her proud grin faded into amazement.

She could see everybody.

She looked down at her hands and realized she could see herself.

Then she looked up into the stands. Zuko. He looked even clearer to her than ever. Even more detailed, more solid than before.

As he came down to meet her, she looked inside herself. Could she? Was it?

Tiny. So tiny her eyes might not have seen it—provided she could see with her eyes at all—but there was something there. A tiny movement of iron and salt and earth.

A heartbeat.

"Zuko," she whispered breathlessly to him as he reached her side. Then she pulled his head down to hers. "I can see him. I can see the baby."


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

They all stayed around a few days for Jet's coronation—and the betrothal ceremony. King Bumi himself hung around an extra day for that, despite his announcement that he had big plans and needed to leave town as soon as possible.

"Why?" Aang asked him yet again. "Why has all this had to happen so suddenly?"

At last Bumi told him. They sat in a quiet corner of the palace as the betrothal celebration was winding down. Bumi had a tray of Hu's slimy snacks in his hand and after one half-hearted offer to Aang, had proceeded to work his way through them on his own as he talked.

"Years ago," Bumi began, "when I was a young man, I got lost in the swamps outside the city for days. While I was there, this beautiful woman took me in. I guess I kind of lost it for a while because I didn't care if I ever got out."

Aang nodded. He had an idea where this was heading.

"Anyway, she finally made me leave and told me that I would be king of Omashu, that it was my destiny," he continued. "I didn't want to be king. I wanted to stay with her. But she insisted. Finally to get me to leave, she said that when my time as king was done, she'd let me know to come back to her. That I could come back there and never have to leave again."

Then the old king turned to Aang and in his eyes, the Avatar could see a reflection of the young man Bumi had been, the young man in love with a mystery woman, a spirit. "A few months ago, I began to dream of her again. She told me to start finding a king—that my time was done," he said in quiet excitement. "The last few weeks, the dreams have been so powerful, so strong. It's been like I was already back there with her."

Aang gave his old friend a sad smile. "Do you want to ride there on Appa tomorrow?" he asked.

"Could we?" came the reply, almost boyish in its excitement.

To Aang's surprise, when Jet heard they were going to the swamp, he asked to come along. "I've got a little unfinished business there," he would only say.

The next morning, they landed in the center of the swamp at Hu's place. Hu came out to greet them with a sad smile of his own.

"Hu!" Bumi crowed merrily. "Do you have any of those wonderful little hors d'oeuvres around?"

"No, sire, I don't," Hu answered apologetically.

"That's okay," Bumi replied easily. "And I'm not sire anymore, just Bumi. Boy, am I glad to pass all that off onto young Jet here. It was past time for a younger head to wear the crown." He gave Jet an affectionate pat on the arm.

"You kept Omashu and the swamp safe through a hundred years of war," Hu stated. "No one could ask more than that. But you look a little tired. Would you like to lie down and rest a spell?"

Bumi nodded, yawning as Hu showed him back to a little green bedroom in the gigantic trunk of the swamp tree. He lay down and Hu placed a soft blanket across him as the old king closed his eyes for the last time. Within seconds, Bumi's skin had grown feverish.

Aang bent his head slightly and went into the avatar state to say goodbye.

Sure enough, Bumi sat in a beautiful garden bower, relaxing in Lian Shen's arms. But it was not the Bumi asleep at Hu's place. It was the same young man Aang had met in a dream, the same young man who'd fallen in love with a spirit.

"Aang," he called to him. "Come in and visit a while! Lady Lian Shen, do you mind?"

"Of course not, precious," Lian Shen replied, placing a soft kiss on Bumi's cheek. "But only for a moment. I've been waiting on you for so very long."

"That's okay," Aang replied. "I was just coming to say goodbye, Bumi. I think Lady Lian Shen means to keep you here a while."

"As long as possible," she replied silkily. "Someday you'll see each other again. But not for a very, very long time."

"But we have another guest as well," Lian Shen stated with a smile as Jet suddenly appeared beside them. She rose to greet him with an outstretched hand. "Jet, darling, what brings you here?"

He took her hand and gave Lian Shen a very respectful bow. "Lady, you told me to come back to see you when I knew who I was," he said softly, then he looked her in the eyes. "I know who I am now."

She favored him with a devastatingly beautiful smile. "Yes, you do. Now go. Go and be the protector you were meant to be. Go fulfill your destiny, darling," she said. Then she added, "But give us a kiss before you leave," and proceeded to plant a sincere one right on his lips.

Jet stood there just a little dumbstruck as she sauntered back to where Bumi sat, more amused than jealous. Then Jet faded away back to reality.

Then Bumi stood and crossed over to stand before Aang. "Aang, you were the friend of my childhood, then the friend of my old age. I'll miss you," he said extending his hand. The two men clasped forearms, then embraced.

Aang looked around the bower and back at Lady Lian Shen, who was already beginning to pull Bumi back into her arms.

"No, old friend," he said with a smile, "I don't think you will."

Aang returned to the swamp where Jet and Hu stood with him beside Bumi's bedside.

Hu patted Aang on the shoulder. "I'll take care of him," he said with a smile. "Don't worry about Bumi. He's fine."

Quietly, Aang and Jet walked out to Appa and headed back into the city.

Meanwhile, Smellerbee walked from the market toward the leather shop, stopping for a moment to watch the work being done to the fountain in the square. A crew of workmen had been busy cleaning and repairing it, and now water was flowing freely from all four spouts.

"Way to go, guys," Smellerbee commented to herself sarcastically. "Come fix it on the day I'm moving."

In the shop, Pipsqueak and Longshot loaded up yet another heavy box as she placed a basket full of hot meatpies on the counter. "Come get it," she called to them.

The guys headed toward the food as she looked around for Eun Min and The Duke. Finally she heard a giggle from the storeroom. Through a crack in the door, she could see them standing there, The Duke whispering something in her ear. Eun Min smiled up at him brightly and he kissed her.

Smellerbee smiled and took a couple of steps back away from the door before calling, "Lunch!" The two young people came out of the room, Eun Min still giggling and blushing a little.

It had been a long afternoon the day of the big contest. Once they'd gotten back to the leather shop, Eun Min had bravely taken The Duke aside and told him—not everything, but enough. She couldn't lie any more—not to him, not to herself.

He'd listened quietly. In the end, she'd hung her head. She hadn't wanted to see his face.

But he'd put his hand on her chin and made her look at him. "That wasn't you," he said. "That was them. You're still you, Eun Min. They never touched you."

Eun Min had believed him.

Smellerbee watched the two young people as they ate quickly, but with frequent glances at each other. She was more than ready to get to the new shop they'd leased up town. It would be so much closer to the palace. She'd begun to feel like her family was back together again.

After lunch, Pipsqueak loaded the last big box onto the wagon and the group headed up the street, only Smellerbee and Longshot hanging behind a moment. They stood there, their arms around each other and looked at the small shop. It held many good memories. It was a little hard to leave it.

Then Longshot looked down at her and said, "You know we'll be needing more room. With Pipsqueak and Eun Min staying on to help out, there just isn't room enough here."

"I know," she answered. "And I hope someday soon we'll be needing to add a nursery."

Longshot looked down at her and smiled. Then he kissed her. Smellerbee hoped someday came quickly.

Sokka met them at the shop to help unload things. Once they had unpacked the last of it, he pulled The Duke aside. "You sure you don't want to stay here?" Sokka asked the young man. He'd noticed how The Duke had kept close to Eun Min.

"I'm a fisherman," The Duke replied. "It's part of me. I can't leave that." But he looked across the room at Eun Min where she helped Smellerbee unpack the dishes in the kitchen. "But that doesn't mean that I can't come visit. A lot." Sokka watched as he walked up behind Eun Min to take a pitcher from her hand and place it on the top shelf.

Privately, Sokka thought that was a good idea. They were both very young. No need to rush things. Besides, he needed someone willing to travel to Omashu to oversee the new trade venture he was planning to start.

When he told Suki the same thing back at the apartments, she retorted, "Those two are not much younger than we were when we got married. Are you saying we rushed into things?"

"No, honeycakes, not at all," he answered, gathering her up in his arms. "If I'd waited another day to marry you, I would have died of longing. You put me off just to torment me."

"Maybe," Suki teased. "I just wanted to be sure you really, really wanted to be with me."

Sokka nuzzled her neck playfully as he said, "Oh, I really, really wanted to be with you. Still do."

Then Suki gave a little yelp. "What is it?" Sokka asked in concern.

"I felt the baby move," she said in a whisper. He immediately escorted her to the sofa and pulled up her tunic to spread his hand out across her belly. She didn't think he'd be able to feel it this soon, but she didn't say so. Instead, she just sat there and enjoyed being there in his arms, his hand warm against her skin.

Three months later, they were all back in Omashu for the wedding. Suki was really showing, Toph was beginning to show, and Katara and Smellerbee had only just found out.

"What? Is there something in the water around here?" Mai asked them as they gathered in her apartments for a bridesmaids' party.

"If there is, you'd better be careful," Katara teased.

"I'm safe," Mai replied with a smile. "You've got to be exposed to that virus to catch it."

"So you guys haven't?" Eun Min asked with a little smile.

"Nope," Mai answered. "Not that we haven't wanted to. Jet's just a real old-fashioned kind of guy."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Toph answered. "Zuko's an old-fashioned guy too. He has some very strong ideas about honor."

"Sokka too," Suki declared. "I swear he wouldn't even hug me in private for fear of starting something."

"That's hilarious," Smellerbee commented. "I never really thought about it, but Longshot and I had such a funny courtship. We lived together for years before we got married. But the first time he kissed me was at the earth shrine during the ceremony, and it took a good three days before we got up the courage to actually have sex with each other."

Then the group looked at Katara expectantly, but she was blushing. "Katara!" Suki said with a laugh. "Confess! What about you and Aang?"

"The Avatar and the Sugar Queen didn't wait?" Toph asked in surprise.

"It was really cold that night," Katara managed before everyone burst into laughter. When the guys came by a few minutes later for dinner, they all burst into hysterical giggles again at the sight of them, wiping their eyes and leaning on each other, but none of the women would say a word about why.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sokka asked Jet quietly. "Women are like this. Are you sure you want to marry one?"

Jet looked across the room at Mai as she laughed with the rest of them. "Yeah," he answered firmly. "That one."

Zuko and Toph had offered the villa on Tuzai Island to Jet and Mai as a honeymoon destination, but there was a huge trade delegation due in from Ba Sing Se and they knew they'd have to take a raincheck on it.

Instead, after the ceremony and the huge banquet in the palace reception hall, they'd gone up to the king's apartments in the palace. Jet shut the huge doors behind them with utter relief.

It had been a crazy day—a crazy week—a crazy three months. Ever since his coronation, the work had gone on nonstop. Mai had stuck by his side like glue giving him pointers, helping him remember names, telling him who was affiliated by blood or by business or by political association with who.

They'd had very little private time to just be together and that time had been heavily chaperoned once they were officially betrothed. Her mother had come back to Omashu to stay with her—to Mai's delight and chagrin all at the same time.

Political dinners and meetings ended up being some of their best time together. At least they could talk quietly together at the head of a banquet table.

Now, however, they were alone at last.

He looked across the room where Mai stood before the dressing table she'd taken over from him. She still wore her elaborate wedding gown. It was beautiful—all red and green and gold. He decided to try taking it off of her.

However, his attempts to disrobe her were complicated by her attempts to disrobe him. Before long, they stood in a tangle of embroidered silk. Somehow, he managed to pull her free of the yards and yards of fabric that encased them both and effortlessly tossed her onto the bed wearing only her underslip.

Outside, the sky had grown dark and a winter snow had begun to fall, the huge white flakes shining in the light of the flickering streetlamps.

"It's cold in here," she said, crawling under the heavy silk comforter.

"You've been cold since the day I met you," he teased, dropping the last of his clothing onto the floor and slipping into the bed beside her.

She wrapped herself around him, as much for warmth as anything else at the moment. It felt good to hold him and be held by him. Soon she was warm enough to shed her slip and they lay together skin to skin.

She ran her hand across his chest, her fingertips catching the raised line of a scar. "You are forbidden to get hurt ever again, you know that, don't you?" she asked. "I don't care if you can walk home afterward."

He laughed and kissed her hair. Then he propped up on his elbow and looked at her. She was so beautiful, so elegant. He traced the line of her cheek with his finger. How was he worth something as perfect as this?

The exotic scent of her perfume drifted from her dark silky hair where it brushed against his fingers. He could feel her breasts rise and fall against him with her breath.

His hand was at the small of her back. She fit so well against him, her body curving into his. She looked up at him, her eyes steady, her mouth soft. He needed her so badly he ached. He could feel himself tremble with it as he touched his lips to hers.

The kiss was like expensive wine, heady and intense. It consumed him.

He was at her mercy.

Then a sharp, sudden fear ran though him. He'd dreamed this, he realized. He'd dreamed about this exact moment in the swamp. He pulled away from her and asked lightly, "You're not going to laugh at me, are you?"

But though his words were teasing, Mai could hear the vulnerability behind them. She looked into those dark emerald eyes and she could see the uncertainty.

To the world, Jet was so strong, so decisive, so confident. But in that moment she could see past all that.

His hurts weren't just physical.

And deep inside, he was afraid. He was afraid she would hurt him. He was afraid she would leave him.

"I wasn't planning on laughing," she replied solemnly. Then she carefully, thoroughly took down the last of his defenses and loved him with her mind, her heart, and her body.

And afterward as he slept in her arms, Mai guarded him with everything she had. He was king of Omashu. He was the most powerful man in the entire city. He was one of the most powerful men in the world. He was a great ruler now and would become an even greater ruler.

But he was hers.

And she had a warning for anyone who wanted to hurt him, to disturb his peace.

She was armed.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Five months later at the Fire Nation capital, Aang and Iroh looked up from their sixth game of Pai Sho to see Katara enter the room, tired but smiling.

"Well?" Iroh asked nervously.

"Mother and baby are resting comfortably. Dad is beside himself with joy. Iroh, you have a healthy grand nephew," Katara declared, patting the old Fire Lord on the shoulder.

Iroh grabbed Aang up in a bearhug that threatened to crack ribs, grinning from ear to ear.

"If every mother could see their babies like Toph can, the world would be a better place. She knew just how he was doing at all times," Katara stated gladly as she sat down on a sofa, clearly exhausted. "I wish she'd been there with Suki. Getting little Aiko and Hasue into the world was a challenge. I'm just glad Toph saw there were two of them back at Jet and Mai's wedding."

"When can I go up and see them?" Iroh asked anxiously.

"Go on up. Just don't be surprised if Toph is sound asleep," Katara replied.

Upstairs, Zuko watched as his wife slept peacefully. The last 24 hours had been the most nerve-wracking time of his life. First of all, it had nearly killed him to see Toph in so much pain. He'd been a wreck with worry.

But Toph had been a rock until the moment when the baby's heart rate had started to fall. He'd never seen her so terrified in her life.

Even though Katara and the other midwives couldn't tell anything was wrong, they shifted her position in the huge bed, and to Toph and Zuko's relief, the baby's heartrate began to climb again.

It hadn't been much later that his son had come into the world, pink and squalling, with a head full of black hair. His eyes were a greenish gold and he was strong. Zuko looked down at the little bundle in his arms, still a little afraid to hold him. The baby made little sucking motions with his mouth.

"Hungry, huh?" Zuko asked him in a quiet whisper. "Give her just a little while, son. You were tough on her."

Outside, the afternoon sun shone brightly on the capital. Summer was well on its way and the days were warm and balmy. A dragon banner fluttered brightly in the breeze on a tower across the courtyard and Zuko remembered his promise.

"I'm going to take you to see the dragons," he declared to the baby in his arms.

Just then a quiet knock came at the door and Iroh entered the room, carefully easing his head in for permission.

"Come see him," Zuko called in a quiet voice. He didn't want to disturb Toph.

Iroh joined him at the huge window overlooking the courtyard and gardens below.

"He's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen," Iroh sighed, his voice a little shaky. He reached to touch a little hand, delighting in the way the baby gripped his finger.

"Do you want to hold him?" Zuko asked, holding his son out to him.

But Iroh backed away. "Not yet. We'll let him get just a little bigger first," he replied with a laugh.

"There's nothing to be scared of, Uncle. He won't break," Zuko assured the older man. But Iroh would not be moved and contented himself with stroking those tiny fingers.

"How old does he need to be to visit the dragons?" Zuko asked after a few moments. "I want him to see them. I want the dragons to meet him and help him understand who he is as a firebender, who he'll be as Fire Lord one day."

Iroh looked at Zuko and smiled wistfully. "Long ago, before Sozin's comet, he would have only had to look out his window to see a dragon. Each Crown Prince was visited by the dragons at birth. The dragon that would be their companion when they came of age would come to them at that time."

"Aang said there used to be lots of dragons. He said that Roku had a dragon and so did Sozin," Zuko sighed. "What happened to them?"

"On the day that Sozin betrayed Roku and left him and Fang to die, Sozin's dragon carried him back to the capital and left him. Azulon's dragon left the same day," Iroh began.

"I wasn't yet born, but I have been told of how furious my father was at what he saw as a betrayal of him and of the Fire Nation. In his eyes, the dragon had belonged to him," Iroh sighed sadly. "This was his error. He belonged to the dragon and the dragon was the spirit of the Fire Nation."

Iroh walked out onto the balcony and looked out over the bright blue empty skies of the capital. Zuko followed, making sure the baby was still warm. The air was very pleasant, however, and he knew there was no need to worry.

A few scattered white clouds soared overhead as Iroh continued his story in a sad voice. "Azulon was so angry that he vowed to hunt down his dragon in repayment for the betrayal. When he did, all the other dragons in the nation abandoned us as well, going back to their mountain caves. One by one, he saw that the dragons were wiped out."

"No more dragons came to the capital. Not for me, not for your father, not for you," Iroh sighed. They stood there on the balcony for a moment in silence. Then Iroh shook himself and asked brightly, "So what's this young man's name?"

"We decided to name him after my great-grandfather and my father," Zuko declared proudly.

"Sozin and Ozai? Sozai?" Iroh asked in disbelief.

"I have more than one great-grandfather. You taught me that," Zuko retorted merrily. Then he turned to his uncle with a proud smile. "His name is Rokiroh."

Iroh just looked back at him in shock. "You said your father, Zuko. I am your uncle."

"You are my father," Zuko replied. "And this--" he gently placed the baby into Iroh's arms, "is your grandson."

Big tears rolled down Iroh's cheeks as he looked down at his little grandson. "Rokiroh," he said to himself. "I think that's a wonderful name."

A commotion at the door woke Toph, and Zuko immediately went to see who was disturbing his wife's rest.

Aang and Katara burst into the room, their eyes flashing in excitement. "Zuko, you have got to come see this!" Aang declared firmly. "Everybody has got to see this! Hurry!"

Aang went to the bed to help Toph, but Zuko stepped in front of him. "I've got Toph," he declared firmly. "You help Iroh with the baby."

Swiftly, Zuko wrapped Toph in her robe and picked her up.

"What is going on?" she asked sleepily. "Is the baby okay?"

"He's just fine," Zuko said as they followed Aang down the hall and down the stairs. "Aang's got something he wants us to see."

Zuko became aware that the house staff was also running to the windows, peering out in amazement.

Aang dashed ahead of them on a puff of air and threw open the palace's huge front doors that opened onto the main courtyard.

Silhouetted against the blue sky were at least a dozen huge, colorful dragons. They soared and dipped with the air currents as they winged their way toward the courtyard.

Toph could feel his intake of breath but couldn't see a thing. "What is it?" she asked, but Zuko couldn't say a word.

Iroh also stood there, dumbfounded as the gigantic creatures approached. Crowds began to gather on the edges of the courtyard.

Toph could hear their cries and murmurs, but had no idea what was happening. "Sparky! Sparky, talk to me," she demanded. "What's going on?"

Then the first of the huge, majestic creatures touched down in the courtyard.

"Oh!" was all Toph could say as she felt that massive taloned foot make contact with the earth.

Zuko recognized the red and blue dragons who touched down first as Ran and Shao—the firebending masters. His arms held Toph tightly as he gazed around him in wonder.

"I thought dragons only came in red and blue," he stated in amazement as he took in the rainbow of colors before him.

In answer to that question, a large gold dragon settled to the ground before him.

"I have to get closer," he said quietly to Toph. "Do you want to come?"

Toph couldn't answer, but Zuko didn't want to let her go, so he walked toward the dragon with her still in his arms.

The dragon towered over him, spreading its wings and stretching up its neck proudly. Then it leaned forward until Zuko could feel its breath hot against his face.

"Can you stand?" he asked Toph in a whisper.

"I think so," she replied, just as quietly. Carefully he put her down and pushed her behind him.

The dragon cocked his head as if to ask what he was doing. "She's not a firebender," Zuko explained aloud. "I don't want her to get burned accidentally."

Sunlight glinted off the dragon's gold scales as it dipped its head as if in agreement. Then it leaned its broad muzzle forward and touched it to Zuko's forehead.

Heat rolled off the golden dragon as it stood there for a long moment. Heat rolled off Zuko as well to the point that Toph had to take a few steps backward. Iroh walked up to her, passed her little Rokiroh, and helped her back toward the crowd.

"What's going on?" she asked Aang as she watched Zuko stand there, motionless with the dragon's sharp teeth inches from his face.

"You'll see," Aang replied with a huge grin.

Then Zuko reached out to touch the dragon's huge head, scratching it between the eyes. Toph could hear and feel the rumble of pleasure that came from the massive animal—almost like a cat purring. A very big cat.

Zuko turned to them and she could see the look of amazed joy on his face. "They're back," he said. "This is Blaze—actually his name is a lot longer than that—but I think he's here for me."

"For you how, Sparky?" Toph asked nervously. She did not want her husband leaving on some kind of firebending spiritual journey of discovery right that moment. She'd just had a baby.

As if on cue, Rokiroh began to fret in her arms. The golden dragon—Blaze--she reminded herself—looked at her and the baby when he heard the sound.

"Come here," Zuko said, walking back to her. "I want him to see this." Then he reached out and took the fretting baby in his arms, escorting her closer again. Toph watched the way her husband held him and soothed him. The way her son looked up at his father and calmed at the sound of his voice.

"Blaze, this is my son Rokiroh," Zuko stated proudly. "And this is my wife, Crown Princess Toph. She's an earthbender, so be careful of the heat around her."

Blaze looked down at them a moment. Toph couldn't believe the majesty that seemed to fill the air around him. "Blaze told me that he came to me late because I came to them late," Zuko explained, a touch of confusion in his voice. "I think he might mean when Aang and I went to see the firebending masters."

Zuko stood there as if listening to an inaudible voice, then added, "He wants us to step back a moment, sweetie." Then he led her back several steps as Blaze also moved back to make room.

Zuko looked up to see another dragon circling overhead, coming closer. But this one was very small in comparison to the others.

When it touched down, Toph could feel that it was only the size of a small hut rather than the size of a giant barn. It was just a baby, she thought to herself as it walked a little awkwardly toward them.

Zuko took a few steps ahead, some instinct driving him. Toph could see a new wonder of realization cross his face as he held Rokiroh out to it, close enough to touch.

Toph held her breath as the big, lumbering baby dragon reached its muzzle out toward her infant son. She sure hoped Zuko knew what he was doing. After a long moment, the dragon took a few steps back from them, shook its head, then yawned and sneezed. To her surprise, Rokiroh also yawned and sneezed a tiny first baby sneeze of his own.

Then the baby dragon took to the air again, joining the others. The flight of dragons circled the palace, banking and rolling gracefully in the air to the ahhs of the crowds gathered below. Then they silently flew away.

Blaze alone stayed in the court, finding a place in the full open sun to stretch out and warm himself.

Zuko walked back to Toph with a look on his face she'd never seen before. Then she realized he was crying.

He walked straight to her and leaned his head against hers, little Rokiroh in his arms between them. "They came back," he whispered in amazement, his cheeks glistening with tears. "And the little dragon will return for our son when he comes of age."

"The honor of the Fire Nation has been restored in the eyes of the dragons," came Iroh's voice behind them. Iroh stood there, wiping tears from his face. Aang and Katara moved closer as well.

Then Iroh turned to face the crowd, but spoke to Zuko. "It is time for the throne to go back to them," he declared. "It is time for Fire Lord Zuko to take his rightful place." Behind him, Aang nodded wisely.

"No, Uncle, I can't do that," Zuko retorted firmly. "You are Fire Lord."

"Zuko, I have only been holding this throne until you were ready. You are more than ready," Iroh stated just as firmly, gripping Zuko's arm tightly. "And the dragons have spoken. You are their choice to rule."

"And they don't have a problem that I'm Earth Kingdom?" Toph asked a little anxiously. Deep inside she'd always wondered if her earth bending would cause trouble for her children.

"Didn't you see the color of the dragon that came to Rokiroh?" Zuko asked her, still overwhelmed by the events of the day.

"Baby, think," she replied patiently, passing her hand over her eyes.

Zuko shook his head, angry with himself, she was certain. But he looked at her intently and continued, "It was Earth Kingdom green, Toph. The exact color of the banners in Omashu and Ba Sing Se." He reached out to stroke her cheek, leaning in toward her. "I don't think the dragons mind," he said reassuringly.

Then he kissed her, careful of the little one between them who began to fret again. "I think he's hungry," Zuko offered, passing the baby back to her.

"Then let's go back inside and feed him. He's got to grow up big and strong if he's going to ride a dragon one day," she said, half speaking to her husband and half to her son.

Zuko turned back for a moment to Blaze, who lifted his head sleepily, then lay down again with a little snort of flame. "He's going to take a nap himself," Zuko translated for them. "It was a long flight from the mountain where the masters live."

"Where did all those other dragons come from?" Katara asked as they walked back inside.

"I think they were hatched after Ozai's fall," Zuko replied. "They were all fairly small for dragons."

Toph took a deep breath. If Blaze got much bigger, she didn't know where he'd sleep.

"Aang, I want to proceed with the coronation as soon as possible," Iroh announced. "We'll meet with the Fire Council tomorrow about it."

"There's no rush to do this, Uncle," Zuko interjected.

"Yes, it's time," Iroh said firmly. "Besides, I've got big plans. I'm going to open a tea shop in Ba Sing Se—or maybe Omashu. And there was this woman who lives in the swamp that I met years ago. I'd like to pay her a visit."

Zuko, Toph, Aang, and Katara looked at each other. Then in unison they shouted a resounding, "No!"

THE END

_(AN: Well, folks, that's it! Boy, it's been loads of fun to write. Big ol' thanks to Sakura Taichou for first of all requesting Land of Fire and Stone, then following up with a request for a sequel. Daisy Snapdragon keeps telling me she knows there will be a third. Who knows? Right now I've got to work on some stuff that pays. I hope. _

_Many thanks and much much love to all those reviewers who've stuck with me through the end. There are too many of you to name, and I wouldn't want to leave anybody out, but know that I do so appreciate your input and your faithfulness. It was so easy to keep writing when I knew you guys were reading. You mean the world to me!! _

_And to all the lurkers out there reading and not reviewing—come on, guys, drop me at least one to let me know you were there. It means a lot. And I do truly appreciate you too and hope you've enjoyed it._

_And if you're reading after this has long been completed—I don't care if its ten years later!--still review! Trust me, I love getting feedback no matter how long its been since it was posted. _

_Feel free to recommend this to others. I love readers. _

_My absolute best to all of you!_

_Arcole_

_John 3:16-17_


	46. Chapter 46

_**HEY all you Voice of the Earth fans out there!**_

**Just a heads up—there's a sequel!! It's called _Bender_ and Chapter One is up now! Plus, it's posted below for your reading convenience. Please go over to its page if you want to review. Thanks so much for reading!!!**

**Arcole**

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. But I sure do love playing with its characters!!_

**Author's Note:** This is a threequel to two earlier works, Land of Fire and Stone and Voice of the Earth. If you don't want to read them, here's the basics. Zuko/Toph, Katara/Aang, Sokka/Suki, and Jet/Mai. Jet is not dead. He is now king of Omashu. Practically everybody has kids. It takes place about ten years after the fall of Ozai. The rest should be self-explanatory. I hope.

**Bender**

_Chapter 1_

Sokka stood in the small wheelhouse of his newest fishing vessel and looked out across the rolling horizon before him. At last the clouds were parting and the wind was beginning to die down. He glanced a few feet to the side where the Duke sat, half lounging and asleep in a chair. It had been a long night, a long day, and now was almost night again as they'd weathered one of the worst summer storms Sokka could remember.

The vessel still tossed and rolled with the huge breakers, and as Sokka looked across the deck, he could see timbers hanging where the decking had literally been ripped loose by the waves. However, most of their shrimpcrab pots were still safely lashed down, thanks to the crew's quick work and the Duke's experience. After all, he'd grown up fishing with Sokka and Hakoda near the South Pole, where the storms were fierce and the water was an icy deathtrap to any unlucky enough to fall overboard.

Sokka had been glad to have the Duke on board this trip serving as first mate rather than captain of his own vessel. Ever since they'd expanded the fleet into the warmer waters off the coast of the Earth Kingdom to go after the smaller shrimpcrab that migrated off the coast of Kyoshi Island, Sokka had been experimenting with a new style of ship.

This style was a cross between the traditional sailing vessels of the Watertribe and the newer engine-driven design of a Fire Nation destroyer. Thanks to work from Haru and Teo, it also sported a new form of fuel—an earthbended coal/vegetation blend that burned hot and efficient, but with much less smoke and waste than the earlier Fire Nation formula.

This new fuel was part of Zuko's big plan to increase cooperation between the nations. The coal was Earth Kingdom, and the vegetation came from some of the volcanic islands of the Fire Nation. Sokka thought it was the fuel of the future. The range of the ships was dramatically increased, and time from fishing grounds to port was dramatically decreased.

The new boat was fast and versatile—if he ran out of veggiecoal, he used wind; if he ran out of wind, he used veggiecoal. It was a win/win no matter how you looked at it in his opinion.

However, none of the rest of the Watertribe wanted any part of it. Not even his own father. The ship wasn't traditional and it bore too many reminders of Fire Nation naval ships coming to destroy.

In the end, Sokka sold his interest in the traditional fleet and ended up sinking nearly everything he had in outfitting this new ship and setting up the trade system that would bring the exotic shrimpcrab delicacy to the tables of Omashu and Ba Sing Se—at tremendous profit for all involved.

Provided they didn't sink in the weather, he thought to himself as the ship took another bad roll.

He ran a hand through his long dark hair, taking a moment to tie it back into his customary ponytail. It had come loose sometime in the past twenty-four hours, and this was the first break in the storm long enough to to give him time to pull it back out of his face again.

Then he rubbed his eyes and his face in an effort to rouse himself. While those thirty-footers had been washing over the bow, nearly swamping them several times, he'd not trusted anyone else at the wheel, not even the Duke. That made a grand total of at least 36 hours without sleep.

But he'd catch up on missed sleep when he got home. This was his ship, his crew, his responsibility. However, now that the weather appeared to be behind them, maybe he could grab a couple of hours of rest.

"Hey, the Duke!" he called to the young man sleeping next to him.

"Hmm? What's up?" the Duke replied immediately, shaking sleep away with the alertness of a true fisherman, used to rising at unusual hours.

"Things look a lot calmer now. Can you spell me for a while? I need some time in the sack," Sokka answered with a yawn.

"No problem," answered the young man as he pushed a hand through his unruly brown hair and rose, stretching as best he could in the small wheelhouse.

"If you need me, I'll be unconscious," Sokka continued as he handed over the wheel of the boat. "Wake me in a couple of hours."

The Duke cast a practiced eye across the water. Above them, the clouds had begun to clear, allowing the full moon to shine down at last across the rapidly darkening waters. "I think the worst is behind us," the young man ventured. "Looks like we can make port for repairs without running back through that mess."

"Yeah, go ahead and set course for home," Sokka sighed in resignation. "I just wish we had a full catch to go with us. The migration is nearly over and we've only caught about half of what we'd planned." He shook his head in disappointment.

"Even then, we'll make enough to pay for expenses and have enough left to refit for the speckled tunamackerel run in a couple of months," the Duke offered in his most encouraging voice.

Sokka gave him a nod and a weary smile, but he was still not happy with the results. He'd wanted more than expenses.

Suki had been wanting to move to a bigger place. With six year old Zutara, three year old Toma, and the one year old twins Aiko and Hasue, their little house on Kyoshi Island had grown crowded indeed. She missed their old place further south, and truthfully so did he.

For one thing, his new neighbors were his in-laws, he thought with a silent laugh. Then he countered the laughter. Pao and Shei were good people and a great help to Suki when he was out fishing. He was glad to have family nearby.

And they were semi-famous—having been part of the gaang that took down Fire Lord Ozai and saved the world.

But even when you're famous, he thought, it could be hard to come home. And Kyoshi Island was his wife's home. A home where she'd been a great warrior. And now she was a fisherman's wife.

Sokka sighed once more as he navigated down the narrow steps to the deck below. He started to turn through the door that led to the bunks below when he decided to take a turn around the deck instead, just to check the damage before darkness set in completely.

The ship was a wreck. Half the starboard rail was completely missing, lost during the storm. Their fishing traps, though still securely lashed down, were broken and battered. Maybe half of them were still usable without major repair.

Sokka yelped in anger as he nearly stepped into a hole on deck where one of the wide wooden planks had been snapped and wrestled free by the power of the waves. The boat still rolled with the ocean, taking waves over the side, and he knew if he didn't want to get soaked, he'd soon have to go below.

Overhead, the stars were beginning to shine in earnest and the moonlight glimmered on the whitecaps as the sky grew darker. Sokka stepped carefully to the aft rail which hung precariously and tried to pull it back into some semblance of repair in the fading light. It fought him as he pulled against it. And the more it held back on him the angrier he got.

However, the anger, frustration, disappointment, and worry fueled his efforts, and he managed to haul the heavy timber back into place. With a sigh, he stood and looked back over the ruin of his new boat.

"Short of sinking, it couldn't get much worse than this," he stated in evaluation and turned to go below.

Then without warning, a rogue wave washed over the side, spilling him effortlessly over the broken-once-more aft rail.

Though summertime, the waves were still cool as they washed over him, pulling him beneath the water. He managed to break the surface, aware that the boat was already fifteen feet away. He began swimming toward it, but another wave rose up around him, this one even taller than the last and he had to fight just to keep his head above water.

Already exhausted from lack of sleep, his arms and legs felt like lead as he tried to tread water, calling out for help. But in the sound of the waves and the engine, he knew there was no way he could have been heard.

His boots and leathers began to fill with water, dragging at him like lead weights. Reflexively he tugged off his tunic and let it slip away into the depths.

Sokka tried to kick his boots off his feet, but they refused to budge. The knots were too tight. He had a sudden flash of coming home and holding out his feet for Zutara and Toma. They had so much trouble untying the leather thongs, especially when the knots had gotten wet and shrank into themselves. But they never got tired of trying to pick them loose so they could pull off Daddy's boots for him.

He wished with all his heart that he could see them again.

As the waves washed over him once more and the leather of his clothing grew heavier, he knew he would never make it to shore. The lights of the boat had begun to recede into the distance. He called out to them again, but the waves had already driven him a good fifty or more feet from the boat. Likely, the Duke wouldn't even know he was gone until he was ready to be relieved. Probably not until morning when they made harbor, knowing the Duke.

He tried once again to pull his feet free of his waterlogged boots, but between the incessant pounding of the waves over his head and the numbness of his fingers in the cool water and the uncooperative leather thongs, he knew it was hopeless.

Even had he pulled them off, he was over twenty miles from shore in heavy weather without anything to cling to. This was it, he realized. This was how it would end.

"Oh, Suki," he called to her. "I am so sorry. I am so sorry to do this to you."

Another wave pressed him beneath its surface and he briefly considered just breathing it in and letting the water take him away. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't stop fighting for life. His wife and his children deserved so much more than this.

He thought of his twin babies, son Aiko and daughter Hasue. They'd just started walking and babbling Dada when he came in the door. They wouldn't understand when he didn't come home again. Neither would Zutara or Toma. The thought filled him with unutterable sadness.

"Take care of them for me," he prayed to the spirits. And the moon shone down on him with a beautiful light. "Watch over them for me, Yue!" he called to her where she floated so serenely above it all. Then another wave washed over him, filling his lungs with water.

And the sea pulled him into its embrace, like a mother with her child. He looked up through the dark water and could still see the white orb of the moon above. But as his consciousness slipped away, all he could see was Suki's face.

Hundreds of miles away, Aang stood on the balcony of his suite in Omashu and looked up at the same moon overhead. Below, his wife Katara practiced her waterbending with a quiet concentration and peace that could only come from having both their boys in bed.

Three year old Bumi would have loved to stay up and watch Mama practice in the moonlight, but six month old Kodaso had been asleep for well over an hour. Aang gave a little earthbending glance down the stone tiled corridors to the children's rooms where they slept peacefully. Toph's talents had added a new layer to his earthbending that no other avatar had ever experienced, he thought with a smile.

Then he turned back to where Katara worked, her hands and arms moving in a sinuous ballet of power and grace as the water suspended between them glistened and shone in the moonlight. She loved to bend by the light of a full moon when a waterbender's powers were at their peak.

And he loved to watch her.

Even the trees and flowers of the courtyard moved and swayed with her as her bending encompassed everything around her. Sometimes Aang could even feel the pull on himself as she worked. He closed his eyes and relaxed in the ebb and flow, letting his own waterbending abilities resonate with hers so that he could feel her movements with his entire self.

Then out of nowhere, it all stopped.

Katara's water fell from her hands with a splash and she cried out in surprise. The sky had gone suddenly dark as if a cloud had passed over the moon, but as Aang looked up he realized there was no cloud in the sky. The moon still hung there, but its light had gone gray and dim.

"What happened?" Katara asked, fear in her voice. "What happened to the moon?"

"I don't know," Aang answered. He tried to waterbend the globe back up from the ground, but his waterbending abilities were gone. He ran down the stairs to the courtyard below where Katara trembled anxiously, her arms wrapped around herself as if she'd grown suddenly cold.

Then Aang tried to earthbend a small boulder without any problem at all. Likewise, he easily produced a palm full of fire. Only his waterbending abilities were gone.

"Has something happened at the north pole?" he wondered aloud. But even as he said it, the sky began to grow lighter as the moon's glow returned, slowly at first, then rapidly returning to its full illumination.

Katara waved her hand over the soggy ground and her globe of water surged up to meet her as if nothing had happened. "What was that all about?" she asked nervously as she replaced the water in the flask at her side.

"I have no idea," Aang replied. "But I think we'd better see about finding out."

Late the next day, Suki had just dished up supper for the children when she heard the unmistakable sound of the front door opening. Zutara and Toma were up from the table in a flash, both yelling, "Daddy!"

She winced a little at the sound, having had a persistent headache all day long. She'd been trying to get the storage room reorganized, but with four little ones constantly underfoot, the effort had been more than it was worth.

Plus, her husband had a tendency to keep every piece of clothing he'd ever owned. She thrown out sacks full of outgrown trousers and coats, worn out socks and undershirts—including a couple of old shirts that he swore were good for wearing when gutting fish. She personally believed even dead fish deserved better than those holey things.

Then there were the boxes of indecipherable papers---scraps of notes about new boats, fishing schedules, trade routes, invention plans. It was impossible to tell what was worth keeping and what needed to be thrown away to make room for more scraps of paper.

In the end, she'd kept it all. "I just hope you've managed to land a full catch this time, Sokka," she'd actually said aloud. "We have got to have more room or you are going to have to clean some of this junk out!"

She wiped Aiko's mouth and rose from the table to greet her husband. But to her surprise, the Duke stood in the doorway instead, an odd expression on his face.

"Where's Daddy, the Duke?" asked Zutara curiously.

"You kids go out and play a while," the Duke said to them, but he was staring straight at Suki. "I need to talk to your mom a minute."

"Go see if Grandma has any candy," Suki added, her eyes never leaving the Duke's.

In seconds, the two older children had dashed next door to her mother's house, leaving her alone in the common room with the young fisherman.

"Where's Sokka?" Suki managed to whisper.

The Duke looked away from her, unable to meet her eyes any longer. "I'm so sorry, Suki," he began, then his voice broke and his shoulders began to shake. "It's my fault. I was on watch. I am so sorry."

"What happened?" she asked more forcefully, fear descending on her. "Where is Sokka?"

"We lost him. He's gone," came the broken reply. "He's gone, Suki."

And just like that, her entire world crashed around her.

When the children returned with her mother, she informed them calmly that Daddy wouldn't be home for a while—that was all she could manage. Her mother looked at her oddly, but kept her peace. Instead she helped get the children bathed and readied for bed.

Then she kissed them and tucked them in, fingering the dark hair of Toma's little warrior's wolf tail, then the beginnings of Aiko's. And Zutara and Hasue kissed her and blinked at her with those watertribe blue eyes.

Somehow she managed to get them to sleep. And her mother stayed in the house for her as she pulled Sokka's old winter coat out of the sack she'd tossed it in that morning. She clutched the heavy blue leather in her arms, her fingers running over its patches and darned places where it had been snagged by hooks and worn through at the elbows from too many winters of hard work.

But the trim of the hood was still soft and clean and the white fur danced lightly in the breeze as she walked down to the beach. She stood there a moment as the sun went down and looked out over the water.

She could still smell him as she pressed her face into the warmth of the coat. She breathed in his scent and she held it tightly.

He was lost, the Duke had said. Lost at sea. Washed overboard over twenty miles from shore. They'd not realized he was gone for hours.

"It must have happened when he turned over the wheel to me," the Duke had said, tears streaming down his face. "His bunk hadn't been slept in." Then he'd took another deep breath and said, "It's my fault, Suki. I should have made sure he got in okay."

She couldn't reply. What could she say to him? How could she comfort him when her comfort was gone? Then the young man had gone back to the dock.

"I won't stop looking for him, Suki," the young man had said. "I won't stop until I find him." But she could hear the hopelessness in his voice. He'd been gone too long, too far out. They wouldn't find him.

Now she stood at the edge of the water where the earth met the ocean. "Sokka?" she called softly. "Sokka, baby, can you hear me?"

Clouds of gray and purple lined the horizon as the sun went down over the waters before her. The waves lapped lightly against the sand, the sound her only answer in the darkness.

"Sokka?" she called again in a hoarse whisper. She hugged his coat to her closer, her fingers clenching the soft fur, as she sank to her knees on the sand. His scent washed over her again and she felt loss and emptiness and sorrow.

"Sokka!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. Then she could only weep in great heartbroken sobs.

A continent away, Zuko also watched the sun go down, but from the back of the great golden dragon Blaze. He circled the capital of the Fire Nation, surveying the land below him, not as a king, even though he reigned as Fire Lord, but more as a servant to the country and the people below him.

The new Chan Shipping Complex was coming along nicely in its construction, he decided. But he had questions about the new fish processing facility. Questions that needed answers.

As he and Blaze touched down lightly in the palace courtyard, he could see his wife Toph standing on the balcony watching for his return, their son Rokiroh in her arms. She waved at him at the second the great dragon's feet touched the ground. He waved back, knowing that with her incredible ability to earthbend, she could see him do it.

Baby Rokiroh waved too, and Zuko's heart swelled with pride. He could see Toph talking to her son as they went back inside, presumably to call for dinner for the Fire Lord. Zuko's stomach growled just at the thought of food.

Then he walked with Blaze into the huge house that had been built for him in the courtyard. An entire

wing of the palace had to be reconstructed to accommodate the huge creature, but it was a task Zuko was more than happy to undertake. The dragons had returned to the Fire Nation and he would move heaven and earth to make them welcome and show them respect.

After he made certain Blaze had his own dinner and had scrubbed the scales of his head and neck well with a stiff brush—a grooming that made the big dragon purr and produce little snorts of contented flame—he gave him a deep bow and wished him a very good night.

Blaze, however, did not stand on that sort of ceremony and gave Zuko a lick to the forehead with his rough, hot tongue. Anyone but a firebender would have been burned, but for Zuko it was merely a kiss—though a slightly wet one.

"Tomorrow, my friend, I would like to make a trip to Kyoshi Island to consult with my old friend Sokka," Zuko stated. "Would you be willing to make the trip with me?"

Zuko got an affirmative answer from the dragon—not in words, nor in thoughts, but in something else, something that spoke into his spirit. "Might my wife and child accompany us?" he continued.

Amusement colored Blaze's answer. He found Zuko overly formal, but amusing. Blaze enjoyed interacting with Toph very much. She was not formal at all. And the baby would be no weight at all to carry---as well as a pleasure. He was very much in favor of the trip indeed.

Toph was less reserved in her excitement. She rose from the dinner table and in full view of all the servants, threw her arms around her husband and kissed him passionately. It was always such a treat to get to visit their extended family. She couldn't wait to see them all again—especially the new babies.

"They've never seen Rokiroh either. He'll have so much fun with Sokka's little ones," she declared firmly. "And I think Aang and Katara are still in Omashu for that summit meeting. We can swing by there on our way home and visit with them and with everybody in Omashu!"

Zuko privately thought that Omashu was a long way out of the way to just "swing by," but he didn't have the heart to say so to his excited wife. In fact, he felt sure that he could easily come up with some very good reasons to pay a state visit to Omashu while they were traveling.

"I believe Jet sent us a scroll about an upcoming trade summit that Aang would be presiding over. We were invited to attend. Perhaps a state appearance would be a good idea. We haven't been to Omashu since his and Mai's wedding," Zuko agreed as he gave her a discreet little squeeze. "Blaze has already agreed to take us to Kyoshi Island. Perhaps he will be agreeable to make the journey a bit longer."

Blaze was more than agreeable. Though fully grown at last, he was still a young dragon and enjoyed the opportunity to see the world. Buoyed by the strength that came directly from his spiritual connection with fire, he made the trip with minimal rest stops, coming to land in the central courtyard of Kyoshi Island only a day after the Duke's return to port without his captain.

The entire town turned out to witness the arrival of the Fire Lord and his Lady, as well as the baby crown prince—not to mention the gigantic golden dragon. Within moments Suki had come out the door of her house on the square, fairly running to Toph.

"I can't believe you got the message so fast!" she said. "Not even Aang and Katara have come yet."

"What message?" Zuko asked as an older woman approached. But Suki couldn't make the words come out, so her mother Shei provided the answer.

"Sokka has been lost at sea," Shei managed to explain, despite the tears in her own voice. "About twenty miles out in a storm last night." Then she cleared her throat and continued, "Every available boat has cast off to search for him."

"Did he have anything to keep him afloat? Was he near any land that he might have reached?" Zuko asked as he strode purposefully back to Blaze.

Suki's mother shook her head sadly as Suki tried her best not to cry.

With a look back at Toph and his little son, Zuko reached up to Blaze's jaw, giving it good scratch as he asked, "Can you keep me in the air a little longer? I need to look for my friend." Blaze just put out a forepaw for Zuko to step onto to mount into the saddle.

Toph blinked against the dust that rose around them as the dragon's wings beat hard against the air to propel him and her husband overhead. She bended the cloud of earth back away from the crowd—especially away from Rokiroh's face. Then she felt little hands pulling at her dress.

"Aunt Toph!" came an insistent call and she looked down to see Zutara and Toma before her. "Was that a dragon?" Zutara asked in awe.

"Yes, sweetheart, it was. That was Blaze. He brought us here for a visit," Toph replied. Then she took Suki's arm and gently led her back inside to sit.

Once inside the house, Suki's focus turned quickly to tending to the children. "Would you two like to have a cookie?" she asked them. "Then you can show Rokiroh all of your toys."

Toma nodded and reached out a chubby hand to his mother. Without thinking, Toph commented, "That one is Sokka made over."

Suki's hand trembled as she handed her son a cookie, then stroked his cheek. "He can't be gone, Toph. He just can't be," she whispered. "How could I live without him?"

"They'll find him, Suki," Toph replied, all the comfort she could manage in her voice. "They'll have to find him."

But as Zuko soared over the ocean with Blaze, he knew in his heart it was hopeless. Even now, the waves were still perilous the further he traveled from the harbor of Kyoshi Island. If Sokka had been without any way to stay afloat, there was no way he would still be swimming.

He looked out across the dark water, hoping beyond hope to catch sight of a dark head bobbing in the surf. But even as he searched, he knew their chances of spotting him, even if right on top of him were next to none. Maybe Aang in the avatar state would be able to tell more.

Zuko considered flying to Omashu instead to get word to Aang faster, then considered that a message had already been sent—probably by hawk. In all likelihood, Aang and Katara were already on their way. So he continued to search instead.

He and Blaze flew tirelessly, sometimes soaring over the boats which also worked a search grid, and with each pass, Zuko's heart grew heavier with the realization of just how overwhelming and ultimately fruitless their task truly was. As darkness fell, both he and Blaze were completely exhausted, though he continued to search by moonlight until clouds moved in, making the sea a rolling sheet of utter blackness.

He landed once again, making sure that Blaze was well housed and fed. "You worked too hard for me today, my friend," he told the big dragon.

Blaze's huge amber eyes glimmered in reassurance even as the lids drooped in weariness. Zuko knew the dragon was happy to have flown him, but sad that their search had been in vain. Blaze drank heavily from the huge trough of water that was prepared for him; then his head sank onto his forepaws and within seconds Zuko could hear the deep breaths of sleep coming from those huge lungs.

Zuko passed a warning to those nearby to avoid being too close to the head of the sleeping dragon. "He snorts flame in his sleep," he explained and watched as a haywagon was quickly moved to the far side of the courtyard.

Then he heard a whuffing sound overhead and only just managed to dodge Appa's rapidly descending furry form as the skybison landed solidly on the ground.

"Good job, buddy," Aang's voice came from his seat on Appa's head. "We made it. You just rest now."

Zuko reached up to help Aang down from his perch atop the large skybison. "I think there's room for Appa next to Blaze," he offered, then helped Aang settle his furry friend in for the night.

"We got here about an hour after you guys," Aang explained in a sad, tired voice. "I've spent the entire day searching. Even in the avatar state, I couldn't get a glimpse of him." They stopped about halfway across the courtyard and Aang turned to look at Zuko.

"Zuko, I don't think we're going to find him. I think it's too late," he said and his shoulders sagged as if the weight of the world lay on them.

They made their way back to the house, where Aang was immediately greeted by Katara, her face pale and worried. Toph likewise clung to Zuko. At the table sat Jet and Mai, holding hands. Suki sat by the fire, turning a piece of paper over and over in her hands. As the door opened, she'd looked up with hope in her eyes, only to have it dashed by the sad shake of their heads.

An unbidden sigh went through the room. Mai and Toph rose and dished up some food for Aang and Zuko who both ate gratefully. No one said a word, however. No one knew what to say.

Then there was a soft knock at the door, and the Duke entered. He looked like he hadn't slept in nights—which was in fact the truth. Dark circles ringed his eyes and he stumbled a little as he made his way into the room.

Jet guided him to a chair and passed him a cup of tea. The young man took it gratefully and downed it in one long drink. Then he wiped his mouth with one unsteady hand and set the cup on the table, whispering a hoarse thank you as he did so. Then without another word, he lay his head on his arms and fell fast asleep.

Katara found a little blanket on the sofa and draped it gently across the young man's shoulders.

The room was silent except for the crackle of the fireplace. The children slept peacefully in the next room, unaware of the drama unfolding in the house.

Then beside the fire, Suki began to cry, soft heartbroken sobs that she did her best to hide. Katara went to her then, pulling her into a comforting embrace, her own tears mingling with Suki's.

Darkness fell in earnest and Mai rose to light the lamps. Jet walked over to close the windows against the cool night air but stopped short to stare at the moon as it gleamed in the sky with an unearthly beauty.

Then, without warning, the door swung open, and Suki gave a cry of joy as her husband took a step into the room.

"I'm home," Sokka stated in a distant voice as if he had trouble believing it. Then his eyes rolled back and he crashed heavily to the floor, completely unconscious.


	47. Publication!

Sorry to do this as an update to a finished work and maybe won't fuss too much about doing it, but I really wanted to get the word out to everybody who's subscribed to my big stuff in the past.

Over the years several of you have asked if I have anything in print other than Fanfiction and the answer is SOON!

My fantasy novel The Blacksmith's Daughter is set for release on October 21 at Musa Publishing! You will be able to download it as an ebook on October 21, 2011, at their website at musapublishing dot com or on Amazon and other such sites!

I would love it if you would take a moment to friend request me-as Arley Cole of course-on Facebook so I can create some buzz for the release. Plus I will provide updates and links to the book there and on my blog at www dot arleycole dot blogspot dot com.

I can't thank you enough for reading my Fanfiction. Writing for you all made it possible to write The Blacksmith's Daughter. I would not be here without you!

Sincerely,

Arcole

Arley Cole (gotta keep the pen names as close as possible!)


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